It looks like what fans have been predicting over the months might manifest into reality soon. There may perhaps not be a Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler fight this year.
Going by his social media, ‘The Notorious‘ appears to be partying and traveling around while having a good time with family and friends. Adding to that, recent reports suggest that Conor might in fact be very casual about the potential showdown against Chandler.
After suffering an infamous leg injury at UFC 264 in 2021, McGregor took a significant break away from the sport. Since then, fans have often speculated if the Dublin native uses steroids or other substances to help him recover from the said injury. And given how much muscle he’s put on throughout his recuperation, doubts only began to increase.
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
About a month ago, the Irishman himself cleared the air surrounding his return to the USADA testing pool. He claimed that he has resolved his issue with the agency.
Speaking with Mirror Fighting, McGregor 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.” However, by the looks of recent reports, the doors might be closing on a 2023 return for ‘The Notorious.’
Conor McGregor reportedly has less than 48 hours to enter the USADA testing pool
MMA Verdict recently claimed that Conor McGregor has 48 hours left to enter the USADA testing pool. And with failure to do so would make it all but certain that he won’t make it to UFC 296, the year-end PPV of the promotion.
The tweet reads – “Conor McGregor has 48 hours left to enter the USADA testing pool if he’s going to fight at UFC 296 which is the final PPV of the year.”
One way the Irish superstar can fight at UFC 296 would be if the USADA granted him an exemption. However, going by the statement released in the same report, it seems that the agency has zero intention of granting one, should Conor need it of course.
Conor McGregor has 48 hours left to enter the USADA testing pool if he’s going to fight at UFC 296 which is the final PPV of the year.
If he doesn’t enter 6 month testing pool by Friday, he will not be fighting in 2023 per the rules of USADA. pic.twitter.com/0l8muMBHdv
— Verdict (@VerdictMMA) June 14, 2023
Averi Walker, USADA Director of Communications chimed in on the subject. He said, “McGregor is not enrolled in our testing pool and would have to be for six months unless an exception is granted, which we do not think would be applicable.”
While many speculate that Conor might be taking PEDs, others believe the timing is the only issue here. Conor has always bragged about delivering clean test results, and his record firmly substantiates that. Now the question remains, is there any chance McGregor returns to the Octagon this year? Let’s find out.
Is McGregor vs Chandler in jeopardy?
According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s official rules, Conor has until Friday, June 16 to enter the drug testing pool. Otherwise, he won’t be able to make his much-awaited grand return by the end of 2023. This is because the rules state that an athlete returning to the testing pool from retirement must be available for six months before fighting again.
If McGregor fails to do so, he automatically falls out of the six-month window necessary to compete in the UFC’s final PPV of the year.
Atkins Insider Report: A source within the UFC has informed me that Conor McGregor is very close to missing the cutoff to submit his initial voluntary sample to USADA. If he misses the cutoff there will be no fight for the UFC in 2023. pic.twitter.com/PU9ScjMN0O
— The Todd Atkins Show 🥋 (@ToddAtkinsMMA) June 13, 2023
Per the USADA handbook, “Athletes are required to notify the UFC, in writing, of their intent to resume competing and to make themselves available for testing for a period of six months before returning to competition.”
The same handbook claims that exemptions can be arranged for fighters in “exceptional circumstances.” It states, “UFC may grant an exemption to the six-month written notice rule in exceptional circumstances, or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to an athlete provided that in either instance the athlete provides a minimum of two negative samples before returning to competition.”
Last month, USADA released a statement concerning Conor’s position. In a tweet dated May 20, ESPN’s Marc Raimondi shared that the agency expected McGregor to “immediately” enter the testing pool.
Conor McGregor is expected back in the USADA drug-testing pool “immediately,” per USADA pic.twitter.com/W7TjpOPvRs
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) May 19, 2023
Going by the test history available on the official USADA website, Conor’s name doesn’t appear in the table of results for this year. This indicates that McGregor is yet to participate in the testing pool. As per the website, the agency last tested Conor 11 times in 2021.
The worst-case scenario is McGregor not making the deadline, forcing himself to sit out until sometime in 2024. The best-case bet would see Conor making the deadline and competing by year-end. A middle-ground case could see Conor receiving an exemption from USADA.
The last time USADA granted an exception, massive controversy arose. At UFC 200, Brock Lesnar received an exception to face Mark Hunt in the co-main event. However, after testing positive for clomiphene, Brock’s decisive victory was overturned into a No Contest. No fighter has received an exemption since.