Dana White still hopes that Conor Mcgregor will fight this year

Conor McGregor has yet to rejoin the UFC's anti-doping programme and submit to the six-month drug testing period necessary before he can resume competing.

Dana White, the president of the UFC, reportedly said as much in a Thursday interview with TSN. Before the end of 2023, McGregor is to be booked, White said on behalf of the promotion. Michael Chandler, a fellow coach on Ultimate Fighter 31, and Conor McGregor have been linked, although no specific date has been set for the 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.