The UFC’s biggest superstar finally appears to be ready to grace the Octagon again. Conor McGregor hasn’t been inside the cage since July 2021, when he suffered the second of two back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier. In an attempt to recover from the infamous leg injury at UFC 264, ‘The Notorious’ had to sit on the sidelines for quite some time.
Even after repairing his busted wheel, McGregor took some time off to vacation, shoot a major studio film, and undergo recovery techniques outside the approval of USADA. That last decision appears to have hindered Conor’s Octagon return as he hasn’t re-entered the drug testing pool yet.
In a recent sit-down interview with Ariel Helwani, the highly-successful athlete shone a light on all things MMA and more. The 34-year-old even expressed an interest in fighting for BKFC, a few weeks after making an appearance at one of their events. Fortunately for the fans, Conor even gave away the month he’ll potentially make his grand return to the cage.
Conor said, “Myself and Michael Chandler will be competing by year-end.” After which, Helwani asked the Irishman if he’ll ever fight in Ireland again. McGregor was quick to respond with, “Yes, yes. I have two fights left in the contract.”
When asked if he’ll call it a career after his contract ends, Conor shared, “No, not a chance. I’m never gone. I’ll never be done, I’ll simply recalibrate. I’ll recalibrate [the] competition.”
I asked Conor McGregor if he will be back in the USADA testing pool next month.
He claimed that the issue is “done”, and that his comeback fight with Michael Chandler will be announced during this season of TUF
Full story for @MirrorFighting HERE: https://t.co/KfGTbdIygX pic.twitter.com/NyF2wQQVYd
— Donagh Corby (@DonaghCorby_) May 19, 2023
Speaking with Mirror Fighting, McGregor has claimed he has resolved his issues with entering the USADA pool. Conor said, “That’s done, man. That’s done. Year-end, I’m back in that cage having competed. I’m gearing up [and] ready to go.”
“[The fight against] Michael Chandler, it will be announced during The Ultimate Fighter. The Ultimate Fighter is airing in a couple of days on ESPN, and by the time that show finishes, we’ll have a date and it will be set for the fans.”
Conor McGregor to re-enter the testing pool, USADA confirms
The USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) updated the available test history on May 18. Based on history, they haven’t tested Conor McGregor yet this year. However, going by the recent news, the Dublin native is taking the final necessary steps to mark his UFC return.
On Friday, in a statement to MMA Fighting, USADA confirmed Conor will be rejoining the drug testing program ahead of his next fight. As per the USADA rules, athletes who retire or remove themselves from the poop must undergo 6 months of drug testing before competing again.
Statement via USADA regarding Conor McGregor’s comments earlier today: pic.twitter.com/MBokE7dEQ5
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 19, 2023
“We have recently been in direct contact with Conor McGregor, and as he confirmed today in the media, we expect to receive his paperwork coming out of retirement and re-entering the USADA testing pool immediately,” a USADA official claimed in the statement.
Fans expect ‘The Notorious’ to lock horns with fellow TUF 31 coach Michael Chandler later this year. The UFC hasn’t announced a date or venue yet. Going by the date of McGregor’s return to the testing pool, he should be eligible to re-enter the cage in November or December.
The promotion hasn’t announced any PPV for either month. Though the MMA community expects them to return to Madison Square Garden in New York City in November. When do you think Conor makes his grand return? Let us know in the comments down below.