Dana White confirms Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler has already smashed a major UFC record

Conor McGregor's comeback in the UFC is hotly anticipated after some three years out of the Octagon - and the Notorious's upcoming fight against Michael Chandler has already smashed a record.

The 35-year-old Irishman is one of the most well-known faces in combat sport and will face Chandler at UFC 303.

McGregor has a record of 22 wins in 28 MMA fights, a very respectable record, and is the former UFC lightweight and featherweight Champion.

Of his victories, 19 have come by knockout, one by submission and two more by decision.

In terms of defeats, he has six losses, with two by knockout and four by submission.

McGregor has not fought in MMA since 2021, when he lost twice against Dustin Poirier, with two knockouts at UFC 257 and UFC 264.

Since then, McGregor has featured alongside actor Jake Gyllenhaal in a remake of the 1989 movie Road House, and created Forged Irish Stout on the back of buying a pub in his hometown of Dublin, renaming it the Black Forge Inn.

But McGregor is now set to return to the Octagon at UFC 303, which is due to take place on June 29 in Las Vegas, with his welterweight bout against Chandler expected to be the headline.

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But even though McGregor has not fought for some three years, there has clearly not been any diminishing in interest of the Notorious, as the gate figures for UFC 303 illustrate.

UFC president Dana White has confirmed that gates for the upcoming event have already surpassed the $20m mark, meaning it is already the highest gate in UFC history.

White said: "It’s way over $20 million."

McGregor's ability to attract high gate receipts is nothing new to the UFC.

Past events such as UFC 205 and UFC 229 brought in $17.7m and $17.2m respectively.

At UFC 205, McGregor won the UFC lightweight Championship with a knockout of Eddie Alvarez, while at UFC 229, he lost by submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

And with the gate receipts being "way over" $20m according to White, it is likely the fresh total will smash previous UFC records, showing McGregor's enduring appeal to MMA.