UPDATE: Conor McGregor has been handed an 18-month suspension by the UFC’s anti-doping program, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), following three missed drug tests in 2024. This suspension is effective immediately and will conclude on March 20, 2026, just three months before the much-anticipated UFC fight card on June 14, 2026, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s birthday.
The CSAD announced this significant development earlier today, confirming that McGregor failed to provide accurate information regarding his whereabouts for testing on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024. Each of these instances is classified as a “whereabouts failure,” which is a serious violation of UFC’s anti-doping regulations.
According to the CSAD release, “UFC athletes are required to provide accurate whereabouts information at all times, so they can be contacted and submit to biological sample collections without prior warning.” Notably, the missed test on June 13 occurred the same day UFC CEO Dana White announced the cancellation of McGregor’s fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
Despite the violations, CSAD acknowledged McGregor’s cooperation during their investigation, stating he was recovering from an injury and not in fight preparation at the time of the missed tests. “Taking McGregor’s cooperation and circumstances into account, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month sanction for three whereabouts failures by six months,” they explained.
This suspension follows McGregor’s recent announcement on X (formerly Twitter), indicating he would be taking an indefinite hiatus from social media, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his future in the sport. The former two-division champion is currently in the UFC’s anti-doping testing pool and has submitted four samples in 2025.
With this suspension in place, the MMA community is left speculating about McGregor’s future and potential comeback. As he campaigns to secure a spot on the UFC’s June 14 card, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how his return to the octagon is impacted by this ruling.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as the situation unfolds.