UFC icon Conor McGregor Submits first USADA sample since rejoining testing pool
Former two-division UFC world champion Conor McGregor has turned in his first sample to the United States Anti-Doping Agency after jumping back into the pool for the first time in more than two years.
After suffering a devastating leg break during the first round of his UFC 264 trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier, McGregor exited the USADA testing pool to focus on his recovery. More than two years later, the Irishman is back in the pool, though it didn’t come without a bit of controversy.
Per a screenshot from Jed I. Goodman on X, Conor McGregor has provided three USADA samples and one test, signifying that the countdown to his highly anticipated return has officially commenced.
Typically, USADA requires athletes to remain in the testing pool for no less than six months before being cleared to compete. However, with the news that the UFC and USADA would no longer be working together come 2024, we could theoretically see McGregor back in action as soon as the promotion’s partnership with the anti-doping agency expires on December 31.
Conor McGregor Reportedly at the forefront of USADA’s Rift with the UFC
According to USADA CEO Travis Tygart, it was McGregor’s long-awaited return to the testing pool that ultimately made their relationship with the UFC “untenable” after nearly a decade of working together. Tygart suggested that the promotion fought to clear McGregor for a return long before meeting the full six month pre-fight testing requirements, something that USADA reportedly refused to budge on.
“Fighters’ long-term health and safety — in addition to a fair and level playing field — are more important to USADA than short-term profits at the expense of clean athletes,” Tygart wrote in the statement.
Beginning on January 1, the UFC will work with Drug Free Sport International, the organization that handles testing duties for the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NCAA. The promotion has also hired ex-FBI special agent George Piro to head their new anti-drug program.
