UFC boss Dana White gave an official response after Conor McGregor set the MMA world on fire this week by claiming he had finally returned to the USADA testing pool.
Earlier this year the wait seemed to be over when it was announced that not only would Conor McGregor be serving as a coach for the latest season of “The Ultimate Fighter” but he would finally return to the Octagon in 2023 when he battled rival coach and lightweight contender Michael Chandler. However, months after the news the Irishman seemed no closer to a return.
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For a competitor to fight in the UFC they must be in the USADA testing pool for at least six months, but “Notorious” had removed himself from random testing not long after his loss in July of 2021 and had yet to return. While McGregor remains active on social media he continues to actively avoid being tested which has pushed a bout that was set for this year to 2024 at the earliest.
However, this week Conor McGregor took to his Instagram account and claimed he had “Submitted my stuff to Novitzky.” That Novitzky being Senior Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance for the UFC, Jeff Novitzky. But, what McGregor submitted and when was unclear.
Conor McGregor still not officially in USADA testing pool, but should be soon
Well, UFC President Dana White brought some clarity to the situation on Saturday night following the company’s UFC Vegas 80 card.
When asked if McGregor was indeed back in the USADA testing pool, White claimed “No. He is not officially in the USADA testing pool. He submitted the paperwork, probably by Monday he’ll be submitted. Again, don’t hold me to that, but the paperwork is submitted, next week sometime.”
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The UFC boss was then asked if that meant McGregor vs. Chandler would get finalized and a date and event might be set. However, White suggested that information has gotten no closer to being confirmed.
“I literally have nothing planned for Conor McGregor right now,” White said[h/t MMA Fighting). “The paperwork is being submitted. We’ll play it by ear, see how things work out, there’s still a lot of things that have to happen as far as fights go and then we’ll decide where he’s going to land.”
