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UFC Announces Major Suspension For Conor McGregor

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 5:52 PM ET

Several months ago UFC icon Conor McGregor expressed an interest in fighting at the White House to mark America's 250th anniversary next July. But a new suspension could put that idea - and all UFC fighting plans - in serious jeopardy.

Or will it?

On Tuesday, McGregor was hit with an 18-month suspension by the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) organization, an affiliate of the UFC. In a statement, UFC stated McGregor has accepted the punishment.

The suspension stems from a series of missed drug tests that took place between June 13 and September 20 of 2024. Those missed tests were classified as Whereabouts Failures by CSAD.

But here's the good news for McGregor: The suspension is retroactive to the last missed test date - which was over a year ago. As a result, that 18-month suspension that McGregor accepted will expire on March 20, 2026 - leaving the door open for him to return next summer.

Conor McGregor Suspended From UFC for 18 Months for Missing Doping Tests | Click to read more https://t.co/BhFyAHIkVI pic.twitter.com/4Oiygb7PcZ
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) October 7, 2025

Here's the full statement, via UFC.com:

"Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced today that Conor McGregor, of Dublin, Ireland, has accepted an 18-month period of ineligibility for a violation of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy (UFC ADP).

"McGregor missed three attempted biological sample collections within a 12-month period in 2024, which constitutes a violation of the UFC ADP. 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. McGregor’s missed tests occurred on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024, and were each classified as Whereabouts Failures by CSAD under the UFC ADP.

"Although McGregor failed to make himself available for testing on those dates, CSAD noted that he was recovering from an injury and was not preparing for an upcoming fight at the time of the three missed tests. McGregor fully cooperated with CSAD’s investigation, accepted responsibility, and provided detailed information that CSAD determined contributed to the missed tests.

"Despite these mitigating factors, CSAD emphasizes that accurate whereabouts filings and the ability to conduct unannounced testing are essential to the success of the UFC ADP. Taking McGregor’s cooperation and circumstances into account, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month sanction for three whereabouts failures by six months. His period of ineligibility began on September 20, 2024 (the date of his third whereabouts failure) and will conclude on March 20, 2026."

LAS VEGAS, NV - AUGUST 26: Conor McGregor holds up a cup of his Notorious-branded Irish whiskey as he speaks during a news conference following his 10th-round TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their super welterweight boxing match at T-Mobile Arena on August 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

McGregor's Fight Future

McGregor is 22-6 overall as an fighter with his last fight coming in a July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier after a horrifying leg injury prompted a doctor's stoppage. If he returns to The Octagon this summer as expected, it will mark five years since his last professional fight.

As for the fight itself, McGregor intends to make it a fight between him and longtime rival Michael Chandler, who he was supposed to fight in 2023 before McGregor suffered another injury.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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