Dana White: Conor McGregor not back in UFC anti-doping program, but there’s still hope to book his return in 2023

Conor McGregor still hasn’t re-entered the UFC’s anti-doping program to undergo the six months of required drug testing before he competes again.

That’s according to UFC President Dana White, who confirmed the news during an interview with TSN on Thursday. White added the promotion wants to book McGregor before the end of 2023. McGregor has been attached to a matchup against fellow Ultimate Fighter 31 coach Michael Chandler, but there’s been no date announced for the proposed fight.

“He’s not [back in the USADA testing pool],” White said. “100 percent [there’s a chance Conor McGregor fights this year].”

In May, United States Anti-Doping Agency officials confirmed that contact was made with McGregor’s team about getting him back in the drug testing pool, which is required for all UFC athletes. McGregor exited the UFC’s anti-doping program sometime after he suffered a broken leg during his fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.

Despite that conversation, it appears that McGregor never actually re-entered the drug testing pool. Though he said in May that he’d resolved his issues with USADA, he still has not been submitted to rejoin the UFC’s anti-doping program.

Under current USADA rules, all athletes returning from retirement – technically McGregor’s status since he left the anti-doping program while still remaining under UFC contract – must undergo six months of drug testing and submit a minimum of two negative samples before being allowed to compete.

With the calendar already in July that would prohibit McGregor from fighting in 2023 – unless he’s given an exemption, which is allowed under the UFC’s anti-doping program.

The highest profile example of that was at UFC 200 in 2016, when Brock Lesnar was granted an exemption to compete on the card. He then tested positive for a banned substance, which overturned his win against Mark Hunt to a no-contest. He was later suspended for one year by USADA.

It remains to be seen what will happen with McGregor, though White doesn’t seem too concerned with that right now without a fight actually booked.

“We’ll see how that plays out,” White said. “They’re saying that now, but who knows. I don’t talk about s*** until s*** happens. To sit here and think hypothetically how a million different things could happen, no idea. I’m focused on what’s happening this Saturday, and then next Saturday. UFC 300 isn’t even in my mind right now.

“The Conor thing, who the hell knows how that’s going to play out – who cares what USADA says, we’ll see what happens when it happens so I don’t know.”

Multiple messages seeking comment from USADA have not been returned.

While there’s still no definitive word on McGregor’s next fight, he did get into a physical altercation with Chandler during filming of the reality show. The episode with the altercation aired on Tuesday.

The incident happened after Chandler’s team remained undefeated for the season with Kurt Holobaugh eliminated McGregor’s teammate Lee Hammond. McGregor then erupted and shoved Chandler, which led to White rushing around to get in the cage to stop the altercation from getting even worse.

“It started escalating, and nobody was getting in the middle of it,” White said. “So I realized that I had to do it. Not good. Because what people don’t understand when they see stuff like that happen, and they’re like ‘Oh they love it!’ The commission doesn’t love it, and it’s bad when that stuff happens.

“It’s a pain in the ass for us, and it can mess a lot of things up. So that can never happen. I was waiting for somebody to jump in, and they didn’t, and instead of jumping in, it actually started to escalate, so not good.”