Chalien Dantes/Contributor

Looks like Conor McGregor will be sitting on the sidelines a bit longer, not because of a knockout, but thanks to an 18-month suspension from Combat Sports Anti-Doping, the organisation that keeps UFC fighters in check.

The ban was handed down after McGregor missed three scheduled drug tests, a big no-no under the UFC’s testing rules. Fighters are supposed to keep officials in the loop about where they are at all times, so they can be tested without warning. Conor, apparently, wasn’t where he said he’d be in June and September 2024. That’s three strikes and he’s out, for now.

He did own up to the mix-up, which helped shave six months off what could’ve been a two-year timeout. McGregor explained that he was nursing an injury and not gearing up for any fights when the tests were scheduled, which may have factored into the lighter penalty.

The suspension officially started in September 2024, on the day of the third missed test and runs through March 20, 2026.

Fans were expecting to see McGregor make his big return to the octagon in 2024, especially after his last appearance in 2021 ended with a loss to Dustin Poirier. That comeback plan got scrapped when he suffered an injury during training earlier this year.

Interestingly, the timing of his return lines up just a few months before the UFC’s high-profile event at the White House, which is an event McGregor has shown interest in being a part of. Whether he gets that shot remains to be seen, but for now, he’ll be watching the action from the outside.