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 Company’s (Usada) testing pool on 8 October. The top of that saga has additionally sparked the top 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 yr, however McGregor remained absent from the Usada pool for months; in an effort to compete within the UFC, athletes will need to have been within the pool for six months whereas returning zero optimistic check outcomes and at the least two negatives. The UFC and McGregor hinted that he is perhaps granted an exemption, one thing that Usada spoke out in opposition to in early October.
“We will verify that Conor McGregor has re-entered the Usada testing pool,” stated Usada CEO Travis Tygart. “We’ve been clear and agency with the UFC that there needs to be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor […] Sadly, we don’t at present know whether or not the UFC will in the end honor the six-month or longer requirement as a result of, as of 1 January 2024, Usada will now not be concerned with the UFC Anti-Doping Program.
“Regardless of a optimistic and productive assembly a couple of contract renewal in Might 2023, the UFC did an about-face and knowledgeable Usada on Monday 9 October that it was getting into a unique route. We’re disillusioned for UFC athletes, who’re impartial contractors who depend on our impartial, gold-standard world program to guard their rights to a clear, secure, and truthful Octagon. The UFC’s transfer imperils the immense progress made inside the sport beneath Usada’s management.
“The connection between Usada and UFC grew to become untenable given the statements made by UFC leaders and others questioning Usada’s principled stance that McGregor not be allowed to battle with out being within the testing pool for at the least six months.”
If Usada have been to resume its relationship with the UFC in January and McGregor have been to honour its stipulations, that might put his earliest return date at a while in April – when UFC 300 is anticipated to happen. McGregor even advised TNT Sports activities on 28 October, whereas current at Tyson Fury’s boxing match with Francis Ngannou, that April was being mentioned with the UFC. Nevertheless, the top of the UFC-Usada partnership in January theoretically signifies that McGregor can return any time after that, with out having to concern himself with drug-testing guidelines. That would change now that the UFC has partnered with a unique drug-testing organisation, Drug Free Sport, however that is still to be seen.
UFC 298 is anticipated to happen in February, with UFC 299 prone to be staged in March. McGregor may due to this fact characteristic 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 may be bought 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. For the reason that announcement of McGregor vs Chandler, McGregor has in reality talked up potential bouts with Justin Gaethje and outdated rival Nate Diaz, although the latter is now not signed to the UFC. Moreover, UFC president Dana White has insisted that Gaethje won’t be subsequent for McGregor.
UFC light-weight Michael Chandler is a former three-time Bellator champion
(Getty Photographs)
There’s much less certainty across the weight at which McGregor will return, nevertheless. After profitable the featherweight title in 2015, McGregor collected the light-weight belt in 2016 to turn into the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion, however he has additionally competed at welterweight thrice, buying and selling wins with Diaz in 2016 and stopping Donald Cerrone in 2020. Whereas there is no such thing as a expectation for McGregor to battle at featherweight once more, and though Chandler sometimes 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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