Joe Rogan agrees with Conor McGregor’s decision to withdraw from UFC 303.
McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) withdrew from Saturday’s headliner against Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to a broken pinky toe suffered during the training. The likes of former rival Rafael dos Anjos, UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and lightweight champion Islam Makhachev took the opportunity to criticize McGregor for withdrawing from the fight, but Rogan believes he made the right decision.
“When you’re a guy who kicks as much as Conor, that’s a fucking problem,” Rogan said in his “JRE Fight Companion.” ‘It’s also the same foot where his leg broke, and he was injured in the fight. He has never retreated from a fight. This is the first one where he withdraws, and I think it’s wise.
“I think if you have a broken toe and you go into a fight and you went into the last fight injured, what if that damn toe becomes a real problem? What if he kicks it and it breaks again, and he’s in pain and can’t move? You have to be able to kick the f*ck out of Michael Chandler.”
McGregor, who made a public appearance this weekend by cornering Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator Champions Series: Dublin, admitted he is still unable to step into a boot but hopes to return in August or September. During the post-fight press conference at UFC on ABC 6, Dana White declined to comment on McGregor’s return until he made a full recovery.
For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s events hub for UFC 303.
The story originally appeared on MMA Junkie
