Former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor is at odds with the UFC’s drug testing body ahead of his comeback.
“Notorious” recently spoke about his return to action after recovering from the fractured tibia and fibula he suffered at UFC 264 in July 2021.
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McGregor’s last fight, against Dustin Poirier, was canceled after the horrific injury
During his absence from fights, McGregor has seriously put on weight as he plans to return to welterweight to face Jorge Masvidal, Kamaru Usman and champion Leon Edwards.
However, his bulky body transformation coincided with his departure from the United States Anti-Doping Testing Pool (USADA), meaning he was not tested for doping at all in 2022.
UFC fighters Anthony Smith and Justin Gaethje have suggested McGregor isn’t doing any good during his absence from the sport.
However, there is no evidence to back up their charges as McGregor has never failed a drug test despite being heavily tested throughout his career.
The 34-year-old has yet to re-enter the drug testing pool and, per policy, he must remain there for six months before he can be booked to fight in the UFC.
A fighter can be granted an exception to this rule by the UFC so he can return sooner, and he has done so in the past. In this case, the fighter would only have to pass two drug tests before returning to the Octagon.
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‘Notorious’ thinks he can only pass two drug tests before booking a comeback fight
USADA
The UFC has hired United States Anti Doping to clean up their organization – and they want McGregor tested for six months
On Wednesday McGregor suggested he had already gotten an exception, he tweeted: “I’m ready for testing in February. I will complete my two tests by USADA and we book a fight.
However, that’s not the case, according to USADA communications director Averi Walker, who doesn’t think “Mystic Mac” would qualify for an exception.
“[Conor] McGregor is not listed in our testing group and is expected to be for six months unless an exception is granted, which we believe would not apply,” he told ESPN.
The UFC has yet to officially comment on McGregor’s drug testing status and they finally have the final say on how many tests their biggest star will undergo before his return.
