Ireland’s Conor McGregor will return after almost three years out against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in Las Vegas on 29 June.

Former two-weight champion McGregor, 35, has not fought since July 2021 and has lost his past two fights.

The UFC confirmed the welterweight bout with American Chandler following UFC 300 in Las Vegas on Saturday.

McGregor has 22 wins and six defeats in his MMA career, while 37-year-old Chandler is 23-8.

McGregor broke a leg in defeat by Poirier in his most recent fight in July 2021. He also lost to Poirier by second-round stoppage six months earlier.

McGregor has won only once since becoming the UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight champion – at lightweight and featherweight – in 2016.

Chandler has been involved in some thrilling fights since moving from Bellator to the UFC in 2021, despite losing three of his five bouts.

He lost to then champion Charles Oliveira in his second UFC fight before defeats by Justin Gaethje and Poirier.

The McGregor-Chandler match-up was confirmed but no set date early last year, when they were opposing coaches in the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter reality TV series.