Conor McGregor free to return after serving 18-month ban for missed UFC drug tests
Conor McGregor’s path back to the UFC has cleared up a bit. The former two-division champion hasn’t been in the octagon since he broke his leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.
Photo By Thomas King/Sportsfile via Getty Images Conor McGregor’s path back to the UFC has cleared up a bit. The former two-division champion hasn’t been in the octagon since he broke his leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. McGregor’s failed comeback attempt against Michael Chandler last year sparked new rumours about a return, but nothing materialised.
But a return seemed off the table when he received a suspension, ruling him out until well into 2026. Conor McGregor now eligible after completing 18-month UFC anti-doping suspension Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images McGregor was handed an 18-month ban for violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy. ‘The Notorious’ missed three scheduled drug tests in 2024.
According to a statement published on UFC. com, McGregor failed to provide biological samples on June 13, September 19, and September 20. A toe injury forced McGregor to withdraw from his UFC 303 bout with Michael Chandler just a day before the first missed test.
McGregor took responsibility for the violations and received an 18-month suspension, backdated to the date of his third missed test. The suspension has now expired, making McGregor eligible to compete again as of Friday, March 20, 2026. Conor McGregor expected to return in Las Vegas after missing White House card McGregor had been hoping to make his comeback on the White House lawn this June, but that won’t be happening.