Conor McGregor and the UFC have strongly rejected recent allegations suggesting the former two-division champion used “powerful, banned drugs” during his extended recovery from injury, setting off another wave of controversy around one of MMA’s most polarizing stars.
A New York Times report claimed McGregor used prohibited substances in 2021 while recovering from the catastrophic leg injury he suffered at UFC 264. The report also suggested he attempted to secure exemptions from the UFC’s then anti-doping partner, USADA, but was denied. McGregor ultimately stepped away from the testing pool during his rehabilitation before later re-entering ahead of his planned comeback.
McGregor has not directly confirmed the report’s claims, but he pushed back strongly on the narrative surrounding his recovery process.
“Shocking! Shocking! A man’s private medical, from the most devastating injury that you’ll see in combat sports. The whole thing is strange to me,” McGregor said. “You have an injury like that, you’re not going to walk again! The objective should be to get that athlete, that fighter, who has given his life, his limb, his livelihood for the entertainment of the people and for the profit of the company, it should be, ‘Get this man back on his feet.’ And that was not the case.”
He continued by questioning the handling of athlete care and medical oversight during his recovery period.
“Not with the UFC, but with the former body that was there prior. And I find that strange, and I find that wrong. All I cared about was, I’m airlifted out of this f*cking arena, with my leg hanging off, how am I going to walk again? A bar, do this, do that, do it. That’s it,” McGregor said. “So the fact that five years after the fact, I find it strange, to be honest. And I feel the game should change to accommodate a situation like that.”
“If a doctor is prescribing certain medications and certain things to come back, otherwise you’re not going to walk again… There’s a chance, there’s like a 20 percent chance that that leg doesn’t join together again. It’s called a non-union,” he added. “That’s what’s at stake here. F*ck this fighting game, are you crazy?! I have children to raise and play with. So I was a bit shocked that that was the case.”
McGregor also insisted he has complied fully with anti-doping requirements since re-entering the testing pool, saying he has undergone frequent testing without issue.
“But, whatever. I took myself out of the pool, listened to my doctors, didn’t ask questions. I don’t even know,” he said. “All I want to know is, what’s going to get me back to my f*cking feet to be able to play with my children in a normal capacity again? And that was it.”
The UFC quickly issued a formal response, rejecting the implication that McGregor’s recovery played any role in the promotion’s split with USADA. The organization also defended its handling of his injury rehabilitation and anti-doping compliance, stating he remained in full communication throughout his absence.
The promotion further emphasized that McGregor has remained one of the most tested athletes in the roster since re-entering the pool and insisted there was no wrongdoing tied to his recovery process or return.
“The health and safety of our athletes remain our highest priority. We fully support Conor McGregor and look forward to his return to the Octagon this summer,” the UFC stated.
While McGregor has never failed a UFC drug test, he previously received an 18-month suspension for failing to complete required whereabouts checks under the anti-doping program. The sanction was retroactive and concluded in March.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, McGregor continues to position himself for a long-awaited return, maintaining that his comeback remains on track as he looks to reassert himself at the top of the sport.
