Conor McGregor Leaves xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE To Pursue UFC 200 Win This Summer

MMA fans and anyone who may have been looking forward to watching Conor McGregor make his acting debut in D.J. Caruso’s xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage next year may be disappointed. As it turns out, McGregor whose recent loss to Nate Diaz during UFC 196 is reportedly looking toward July’s UFC 200 for a rebound, which means foregoing his previously-hyped appearance in the long-awaited action threequel.

Bloody Elbow forwarded the update from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto’s Twitter confirming McGregor’s departure. McGregor was announced to join the production back in January and would have added him among a roster of heavy-hitters cast in the film next to lead actor and franchise producer Vin Diesel; Such names include international action stars Tony Jaa and Donnie Yen, the latter who was cast in the wake of action star Jet Li’s own leave last month.

There’s no word yet if the role McGregor was attached to will be recast while the film itself is slated for a release on January 20, 2017 courtesy of Paramount Pictures.