In a much-awaited turn of events for UFC fans, former two-weight champion Conor McGregor is inching closer to his highly anticipated comeback to the octagon. UFC president Dana White has officially confirmed that the Irish superstar will rejoin the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) drug testing pool by next week, setting the stage for a potentially thrilling return to the sport.
McGregor, whose last fight was marred by a leg injury suffered during his clash with Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout in July 2021, is now on the path to recovery and resurgence. He is determined to make a comeback in the first half of the upcoming year, with a likely opponent being the formidable Michael Chandler. The duo had recently served as coaches on the reality TV show, ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and a showdown between them had been widely anticipated before the end of this year.
However, for any UFC fighter to become eligible for competition, they must undergo a mandatory six-month drug testing period. McGregor, who hasn’t faced a drug test since the third quarter of 2021, sent ripples of excitement through his fan base when he confirmed that he had “submitted his stuff” to expedite his return. Dana White echoed this optimism, expressing his belief that McGregor would re-enter the drug testing pool by the upcoming week.
White stated, “No, he is not officially in the USADA pool. He has submitted the paperwork so probably by Monday he will be submitted. Again, don’t hold me to that, but the paperwork is submitted, so next week sometime.” While White admitted that there were no concrete plans in place for McGregor‘s immediate fights, he emphasized that the necessary paperwork was in the works.
USADA, backing McGregor‘s assertion, issued a statement affirming their direct contact with the fighter, confirming his intent to come out of retirement and re-enter the USADA testing pool promptly. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, McGregor must undergo testing for a minimum of six months and provide at least two negative samples before being granted permission to compete. This policy aims to ensure fair competition and a level playing field for all athletes, irrespective of their previous testing history.
Considering the six-month testing period, McGregor‘s earliest eligibility to fight would be in April 2024, possibly coinciding with UFC 300. However, Dana White remained cautious about pinpointing a specific date for McGregor‘s return, stating, “We’ll play it by ear and see how things work out. There are still a lot of things that have to happen, as far as fights go, then we’ll figure out where he is going to land.”
