Conor McGregor (image via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Following months of speculation as to when Conor McGregor would re-enter USADA’s testing pool, the organization has confirmed that the polarizing star has finally done so. But, in addition, USADA is reporting that the UFC plans to end its partnership with the non-profit organization in 2024.

On Thursday, USADA CEO Travis Tygart made the following announcement (quotes via MMA Junkie.com).

“We have been clear and firm with the UFC that there should be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor to fight until he has returned two negative tests and been in the pool for at least six months,” Tygart said in a written statement. “The rules also allow USADA to keep someone in the testing pool longer before competing based on their declarations upon entry in the pool and testing results.

“Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honor the six-month or longer requirement because, as of January 1, 2024, USADA will no longer be involved with the UFC Anti-Doping Program. Despite a positive and productive meeting about a contract renewal in May 2023, the UFC did an about-face and informed USADA on Monday, October 9, that it was going in a different direction.”

At the beginning of 2023, the UFC announced that McGregor was going to coach opposite of Michael Chandler on TUF and that the two would fight before the year was up. But, since McGregor had not re-entered USADA’s testing program, there was persistent speculation about whether the UFC would call for the former champ to be exempt from the program’s six-month testing policy. A fighter needs to be in the testing pool for six months prior to their Octagon return.

Tygart also reportedly noted the following in his statement.

“The relationship between USADA and UFC became untenable given the statements made by UFC leaders and others questioning USADA’s principled stance that McGregor not be allowed to fight without being in the testing pool for at least six months. One UFC commentator echoed this, recently declaring that USADA should not oversee the UFC program since we held firm to the six-month rule involving McGregor, and since we do not allow fighters without an approved medical basis to use performance-enhancing drugs like experimental, unapproved peptides or testosterone for healing or injuries simply to get back in the Octagon.”

As this is being published, the UFC has yet to release a statement regarding Tygart’s comments.