October 08, (THEWILL) — Conor McGregor has received an 18-month ban from competing in the UFC after breaching anti-doping regulations, officials confirmed on Tuesday. Combat Sports Anti-Doping stated the 37-year-old Irish fighter missed three scheduled biological sample collections during 2024 on June 13, September 19, and September 20. The suspension runs from September 20, 2024 until March 20, 2026.
The standard 24-month penalty was reduced after CSAD considered McGregor’s full cooperation and circumstances. The Dublin native accepted responsibility and provided detailed information about the missed tests. At the time, he was recovering from injury and had no scheduled bouts, having last fought in July 2021 when he suffered a broken leg in defeat to Dustin Poirier.
President Donald Trump announced the UFC would hold a live event at the White House on June 14, 2026 to mark his 80th birthday. McGregor claimed his fight against Michael Chandler was confirmed for the event, but UFC president Dana White denied this on Saturday, stating no fights were being negotiated with the White House.
In November, a woman who accused McGregor of rape in a Dublin hotel room in December 2018 won a civil claim at Ireland’s high court. McGregor was ordered to pay €248,000 to his accuser and stated he would appeal the decision.
In a separate incident from January, the fighter was sued for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in 2023 following an NBA Finals game. The lawsuit came nearly two years after the woman first accused McGregor of assaulting her in a bathroom at the Kaseya Center on June 9 following Game 4 between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
