48-Hour Deadline For Conor McGregor To Officially Enter USADA Testing Pool If He Should Be Eligible To Fight In 2023
It appears that the window for Conor McGregor to makes his return to the UFC’s Octagon this year will be closed in just a couple of days.
Per Verdict MMA, “The Notorious” now has 48 hours left to re-enter the USADA testing pool and be eligible to compete at UFC 296, which will be the UFC’s final Pay-Per-View event of the year. USADA requires all athletes to be in the testing pool for at least six months prior to competing, but McGregor has seemingly remained resistant to the idea of those rules being an obstacle to his return.
Conor McGregor has 48 hours left to enter the USADA testing pool if he's going to fight at UFC 296 which is the final PPV of the year.
If he doesn't enter 6 month testing pool by Friday, he will not be fighting in 2023 per the rules of USADA. pic.twitter.com/0l8muMBHdv
— Verdict (@VerdictMMA) June 14, 2023
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler Looking Unlikely For 2023
Combat sports fans have gotten to see McGregor engage in plenty of extracurricular activities in the nearly two years he’s been out of the cage, but the Irishman has been back at the forefront of UFC advertising thanks to his coaching role on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter.
“The Notorious” and former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler serve as opposing coaches on the current season of TUF, and the working assumption has been that the two men will meet in the cage at some point after the show finishes airing.
McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his leg at UFC 264 nearly two years ago. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
UFC President Dana White appeared optimistic about the chances of the fight happening this year before tempering expectations somewhat, while McGregor boldly declared that USADA was no longer an obstacle between him fighting Chandler in the near future.
Barring something miraculous, it does appear that fight fans will have to at wait until at least next year before seeing McGregor step into the Octagon again. If the Irishman remains out of the USADA testing pool it will certainly create questions about if Chandler should even wait around for the matchup, although McGregor admittedly might want a crack at “Iron” considering how lopsided the fights on this season of TUF have been so far.
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