When will Conor McGregor return to the UFC?

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Conor McGregor’s UFC return is edging nearer.

McGregor has not fought since struggling a damaged leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, however he returned to the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (Usada) testing pool on 8 October. The finish of that saga has additionally sparked the finish of the UFC’s relationship with Usada, which stated on 11 October that it could not renew its partnership with the UFC in January, claiming that the organisations’ relationship was made ‘untenable’ by McGregor’s scenario.

It was introduced in February that McGregor, 35, would battle Michael Chandler this 12 months, however McGregor remained absent from the Usada pool for months; so as to compete in the UFC, athletes will need to have been in the pool for six months whereas returning zero optimistic check outcomes and not less than two negatives. The UFC and McGregor hinted that he could be granted an exemption, one thing that Usada spoke out towards in early October.

“We can confirm that Conor McGregor has re-entered the Usada testing pool,” stated Usada CEO Travis Tygart. “We have been clear and firm with the UFC that there should be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor […] Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honor the six-month or longer requirement because, as of 1 January 2024, Usada will no longer be involved with the UFC Anti-Doping Program.

“Despite a positive and productive meeting about a contract renewal in May 2023, the UFC did an about-face and informed Usada on Monday 9 October that it was going in a different direction. We are disappointed for UFC athletes, who are independent contractors who rely on our independent, gold-standard global program to protect their rights to a clean, safe, and fair Octagon. The UFC’s move imperils the immense progress made within the sport under Usada’s leadership.

“The relationship between Usada and UFC became untenable given the statements made by UFC leaders and others questioning Usada’s principled stance that McGregor not be allowed to fight without being in the testing pool for at least six months.”

If Usada have been to renew its relationship with the UFC in January and McGregor have been to honour its stipulations, that will put his earliest return date at a while in April – when UFC 300 is predicted to happen. McGregor even advised TNT Sports on 28 October, whereas current at Tyson Fury’s boxing match with Francis Ngannou, that April was being mentioned with the UFC. However, the finish of the UFC-Usada partnership in January theoretically implies that McGregor can return any time after that, with out having to concern himself with drug-testing guidelines. That may change now that the UFC has partnered with a unique drug-testing organisation, Drug Free Sport, however that continues to be to be seen.

UFC 298 is predicted to happen in February, with UFC 299 possible to be staged in March. McGregor may due to this fact function on both card, in idea, and a few followers and pundits have argued that UFC 300 will conjure sufficient hype as it’s – while not having McGregor to be concerned. In different phrases: UFC 300 might be offered with different high-profile match-ups, whereas McGregor’s return sells itself; or: UFC 300 doesn’t want McGregor, and the Irishman doesn’t want UFC 300.

McGregor remains to be anticipated to face Chandler, with the 37-year-old American having held out for the icon’s return regardless of its ongoing delay. Since the announcement of McGregor vs Chandler, McGregor has the truth is talked up potential bouts with Justin Gaethje and previous rival Nate Diaz, although the latter is not signed to the UFC. Furthermore, UFC president Dana White has insisted that Gaethje will not be subsequent for McGregor.

There is much less certainty round the weight at which McGregor will return, nevertheless. After successful the featherweight title in 2015, McGregor collected the light-weight belt in 2016 to develop into the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion, however he has additionally competed at welterweight 3 times, buying and selling wins with Diaz in 2016 and stopping Donald Cerrone in 2020. While there isn’t any expectation for McGregor to battle at featherweight once more, and though Chandler usually fights at light-weight, McGregor has hinted that he may return at middleweight – having bulked up considerably whereas recovering from his damaged leg.

McGregor suffered that harm in his second straight defeat by Poirier, who knocked out the Irishman in January 2021. The pair, who contested these bouts at light-weight, beforehand clashed at featherweight in 2014, with McGregor knocking out the American.

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