“I deserve my fight date” … Conor McGregor demands UFC comeback after presenting the result of his latest doping test in return

McGregor is still keen to fight Chandler, who now faces former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of the Madison Square Garden showcase, and he has admitted his next fight will likely be next year.

Since breaking his leg in the 2021 trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor has been eyeing a return to the Octagon, but persistent issues, including a broken toe on his opposite foot, have cost him a number of potential dates.

He was removed from the UFC's old USADA drug testing pool for quite some time, but has since been accepted into the Drug Free Sport International initiative. He is now the most tested athlete on their roster and shared another negative result in a recently deleted social media post.

The Irishman shared a screenshot of an email from DFSI with his test result and the caption: “Most tested athlete on the UFC roster x2. I deserve my fight date! #CleanAthlete.”

The email, titled “UFC Sample Result,” read: “Dear Conor McGregor. We are pleased to inform you that sample #E004244 you submitted on September 13, 2024 returned a NEGATIVE lab result. Thank you for your contribution in supporting a clean UFC.”

In recent years, McGregor has been known more for his activities outside the cage than inside it, and that was no different over the weekend when he attended a heavyweight boxing match at Wembley Stadium and saw Daniel Dubois brutally knock out Anthony Joshua in front of a reported crowd of over 98,000.

Sitting ringside, he became known for his reaction to the four big knockdowns landed by the underdog Dubois, but he also made headlines during an on-air interview with Ariel Helwani in which he detailed his plans for his return to the Octagon.

“It will be 2025,” he replied when asked when he would make his comeback. “We'll see. My opponent that I had planned to face is evenly matched, it is what it is. I accept it and keep rocking. My job is to go to the gym and stay in shape. Whenever and wherever it is, I will be 100 percent ready.”

He is keen to keep Chandler as his opponent, despite being booked for his fight with Oliveira. When asked who his next opponent will be, he replied: “Who knows, it doesn't matter. Whoever it is, we'll see. I want it to be Chandler. I wish him all the best and see where it goes.”

The man who will be planning McGregor's return to the UFC is CEO Dana White. The boss was in Dublin last week to promote Callum Walsh's big home fight at the 3Arena and held a question-and-answer session with fans and media, giving the latest on the Irishman's comeback.

“When Conor comes back, we'll see who the opponent is,” White explained. “Whenever Conor is ready and comes back.”

“He called me last night when he heard I was here. He's in New York training right now.”

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