UFC president Dana White has confirmed that former two-weight champion Conor McGregor has not yet made an official return to the USADA testing pool. McGregor is expected to make his comeback to the Octagon before the end of this year.
Speaking with TSN reporter Aaron Bronsteter, White confirmed that McGregor has yet to re-enter the testing pool. Previous statements have indicated that McGregor would need to spend at least six months in the program before being eligible to make a UFC return therefor ruling out a 2023 return.
When asked about the possibility of an exemption that would allow McGregor to return without the mandatory six-month testing period, White remained non-committal. He stated, “He’s not (back in the USADA testing pool). We’ll see how that plays out… I don’t talk about sh*t until sh*t happens, you know what I mean? To sit here and think hypothetically how a million different things could happen, no idea. I’m focusing on what’s happening this Saturday (UFC 290), and then next Saturday. UFC 300 isn’t even on my mind right now.”
White further emphasized that the outcome of McGregor’s situation remains uncertain, stating, “The Conor thing, who the hell knows how that’s gonna play out? Who cares what USADA says? We’ll see what happens when it happens. So, I don’t know.”
McGregor has been sidelined since headlining UFC 264 in July 2021, where he suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula resulting in a first-round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. While McGregor has been coaching on TUF season 31, his anticipated bout against former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler has yet to be officially booked.
The legal situation McGregor is facing further casts doubt over what’s happening however McGregor remains adamant that he’s indeed coming back.
He tweeted: ‘I look forward to my upcoming fight. I am well in preparation.’
Since 2014, Benny A. King has been fully immersed in the world of combat sports. Starting with a blog about Greco Roman wrestling, Benny’s passion for combat sports has led him to explore various disciplines.