Conor McGregor fires sly shot at USADA following their split from UFC

Conor McGregor has had more leeway than others from the UFC since rising to fame and for good reason. The Irish star rakes in by far the most amount of money and viewers, and with that comes perks.

‘The Notorious’ can somewhat call the shots on his own career inside the octagon, but what he did earlier this week was a shock to everyone. In his ongoing battle to get back into the cage, it seems the megastar has caused the UFC and USADA to have a falling out and the two companies will now part ways.

McGregor seemingly enjoyed the news after previously feeling sidelined by the anti-doping agency. Instead of the USADA testing pool, the lightweight contender insisted that the sea is his pool as he fired a shot at the drug testing organization.

In the first quarter of 2023, Dana White announced the new season of The Ultimate Fighter. The coaches—Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler—were set to face off with one another as the show concluded but that bout still hasn’t come to fruition two months on from the finale.

Despite angling for a late return this year, McGregor was forced to submit two clean samples and be present in the USADA testing pool for half a year before he was deemed eligible to fight. These rules rubbed the 35-year-old the wrong way and he has now seemingly got what he desired.

Related: Jon Jones reacts to UFC-USADA split, remove DC No Contest

The United States Anti-Doping Agency’s CEO Travis Tygart claimed that special treatment was being afforded to the former two-division world champion. Tygart viewed this as unacceptable, which allegedly was the reason they will no longer be working with the UFC from 2024 onward.

This opens the door up for McGregor to make his long-awaited return and what better time than at UFC 300? The historic event will likely feature some of the greatest fighters the sport has to offer, similar to the promotion’s 100th and 200th cards years prior. 

The current UFC timeline looks like their 300th pay-per-view will most probably come around March-April times. If he is to compete on the card, the all-action Michael Chandler will pose the perfect matchup not just for Conor McGregor, but also for the fans.