Conor McGregor has been handed an 18-month suspension for violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy after missing three attempted tests last year, Combat Sports Anti-Doping announced on Tuesday.
“McGregor missed three attempted biological sample collections within a 12-month period in 2024, which constitutes a violation of the UFC ADP [anti-doping policy],” CSAD said in a statement.
The missed collections occurred on 13 June, 19 and 20 September 2024, and were each recorded as whereabouts failures. The sanction was backdated to start on 20 September 2024 and runs through to 20 March 2026.
CSAD noted McGregor was recovering from an injury and not in fight preparation during the missed collections, and that he fully cooperated with the inquiry, accepted responsibility and supplied information that explained the circumstances.
Citing those factors, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month penalty for three whereabouts failures by six months. “Despite these mitigating factors, CSAD emphasises that accurate whereabouts filings and the ability to conduct unannounced testing are essential to the success of the UFC ADP.”
McGregor, 37, has since re-entered the UFC testing pool and has provided four samples in 2025. The former two-division champion has not competed since July 2021. His planned bout with Michael Chandler for UFC 303 in 2024 was cancelled after McGregor withdrew with an injury.
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With the suspension ending in March 2026, the Irishman would be eligible to compete again in the spring of next year, pending medical clearance. This would come just in time for the UFC card slated to take place at the White House, which President Trump recently announced would be held on 14 June 2026.
