Conor McGregor claims he has taken key step on road to UFC comeback

The former champion suggested that he has returned to the Usada drug-testing pool

Conor McGregor has hinted that he has returned to the testing pool of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), setting him up for a UFC comeback.

It was announced in February that McGregor would fight Michael Chandler this year, in the Irishman’s first bout since he suffered a broken leg while losing to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

Since the announcement, however, McGregor has remained absent from Usada’s testing pool, ruling out a 2023 return to the ring. That is because, in order to fight, athletes must be in the Usada pool for six months while returning zero positive results and at least two negatives.

But on Thursday (5 October), McGregor took to Instagram to share photos of himself training at Crumlin Boxing Club in Dublin, and his caption read: “Find my targets. Hit them. F*** the consequences. You’re going down. This is fighting. Submitted my stuff to Novitzky. Ball rolling.”

McGregor, 35, was referring to Jeff Novitzky, the UFC’s Senior Vice-President of Athlete Health and Performance.

McGregor added, “See you soon you little light work b***h,” seemingly taking aim at Chandler.

If McGregor has in fact re-entered Usada’s testing pool, he could be in line to return at UFC 300, which may take place in April.

McGregor’s last win came in January 2020, when the former dual-weight champion stopped Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds. He then suffered the first knockout defeat of his career in January 2021, when he faced Dustin Poirier in a rematch of their 2014 clash.

Six months later, McGregor fought the American in a trilogy bout, suffering a broken leg at the end of Round 1 – handing Poirier a TKO victory.

Meanwhile, American Chandler last fought in November 2021, when he was submitted to Poirier. Chandler, 37, is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion.

This summer, McGregor and Chandler served as opposing coaches on the newest season of The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC’s reality television show. Chandler’s team of fighters dominated McGregor’s, with Kurt Holobaugh ultimately winning the lightweight finale in August. On the same night, Brad Katona won the bantamweight finale for Team McGregor, but only after switching from Chandler’s team.

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