Conor McGregor thanks fans for their support and confirms he will fight again.
The UFC aimed to have Conor McGregor fight Michael Chandler in the final pay-per-view event of the year at UFC 296. This event will take place on December 16th, likely at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Any athlete competing in the UFC be must in the USADA (United State Anti Doping Authority) testing pool for a minimum of 6 months. During this time, USADA could randomly test the athlete at any point in time for any illegal performance-enhancing substance.
After a devastating injury sustained against Dustin Poirier where the Irishman broke his tibia, he withdrew from this pool during his recovery. Therefore, upon re-joining, McGregor would need to wait this 6 month period once more to be able to resume competing. McGregor failed to submit himself to the pool by the final date of June 16th, 6 months before UFC 296. Therefore, it is impossible for McGregor to compete this year under the USADA rules as they currently stand.
Will Conor McGregor Return
A crowd met McGregor outside his New York hotel, where he offered thanks for their support. He also assured them that he would ‘get a fight on.’ This comment is reassuring, but his absence from the USADA pool makes speculation difficult.
McGregor has lately been filming the reality tv show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ competing against Michael Chandler. The two each respectively coached teams of prospects and veterans of the UFC. Each week the teams competed against one another for the prize of achieving a spot on the UFC roster. In the UK, UFC Fight Pass streams new episodes weekly, with Chandler’s team currently 4-0 up against McGregor’s. The show was promoting the eventual bout between the two, but this may now be obsolete.
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