Irish mixed martial artist, Conor McGregor has accepted an 18-month suspension from competition after breaching the UFC’s anti-doping policy, the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) agency confirmed on Monday.
The Irish mixed martial artis was sanctioned after missing three scheduled drug tests within 12 months in 2024, a violation equivalent to a failed test under UFC rules.
According to CSAD, McGregor, 37, failed to appear for biological sample collections on June 13, September 19, and September 20 last year. Under UFC regulations, all fighters are required to keep their whereabouts up to date so that anti-doping officials can reach them at any time for random testing.
CSAD noted that the initial two-year ban was reduced to 18 months due to McGregor’s cooperation and “mitigating injury circumstances.”
A statement published on the UFC website read that McGregor “accepted responsibility, and provided detailed information that CSAD determined contributed to the missed tests.”
The suspension officially began on September 20, 2024, the date of his third violation, and will end on March 20, 2026. By then, McGregor will be four months shy of his 39th birthday.
The former two-division UFC champion has not fought since suffering a broken leg in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier in July 2021. His long-awaited return has been repeatedly delayed, first by injury and later by contract and testing issues.
In recent weeks, McGregor stirred controversy after claiming he had signed to fight on the “UFC White House” card scheduled for June 14, 2026, coinciding with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
However, UFC president Dana White quickly dismissed the claim. “I made it clear that Conor wants to fight on that card, and you can clearly see Conor is very fired up to fight on that card, but nothing is done yet. No fights are being negotiated with the White House,” White said.
McGregor, who boasts a professional record of 22 wins and 6 losses, announced on Monday via social media that he would be “taking a break” from all platforms.
Away from the octagon, the Dublin native has faced several off-field controversies. In November 2024, a court ordered him to pay £206,000 in damages plus legal costs to Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.
Ms Hand also revealed plans in August to file a civil suit against McGregor and two others, alleging malicious abuse of court processes.
Last month, McGregor confirmed he was no longer pursuing a run for the Irish presidency, a move that had generated significant public debate earlier in the year.
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