UFC president Dana White has confirmed Conor McGregor has yet to re-enter the US Anti-Doping Agency testing pool ahead of his proposed comeback fight with Michael Chandler.
The legendary two-weight world champion stopped being tested while he was out for two years with a broken leg, and will reportedly need to spend six months in the pool for random testing before he can return. However, White is confident that the situation could change for McGregor and still feels the bout can happen in December.
McGregor told Mirror Fighting in May that the situation was "done", and USADA appeared to be ready for his return to the pool. But he now seems to be dragging his heels, which could force his fight with Chandler to be delayed even further despite the pair competing on The Ultimate Fighter earlier this year as coaches, which is already airing.
Asked by TSN if McGregor was back in the testing pool White responded: "He's not. We’ll see how that plays out… I don’t talk about sh*t until sh*t happens, you know what I mean? To sit here and think hypothetically how a million different things could happen, no idea.
"I’m focusing on what’s happening this Saturday [UFC 290], and then next Saturday. UFC 300 isn’t even on my mind right now. The Conor thing, who the hell knows how that’s gonna play out? Who cares what USADA says? We’ll see what happens when it happens. So, I don’t know.”
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White still reckoned that McGregor would fight Chandler at the end of this year, with December 16 the likely date for their meeting at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC have major pay-per-view shows in November at Madison Square Garden and December in Vegas, one of which he believes will feature the Irishman's return to the cage.
Back in July of 2021, he suffered a broken leg while fighting Dustin Poirier in a bitter trilogy fight that has kept him out of the octagon ever since. He began his comeback by coaching on TUF with Chandler this year after the pair confirmed that they would be fighting, and believes a date will be announced before the season ends next month.
"That's done, my man," McGregor told Mirror Fighting in May when asked if he would return to the testing pool by June. "That's done. Year end, I'm back in that cage having competed. I'm gearing up ready to go. Michael Chandler, yeah. It will be announced during The Ultimate Fighter. So The Ultimate Fighter is airing now in a couple of days on ESPN, and by the time that show finishes we'll have a date and everything set for the fans."
