It is really simple. When every fighter says that they are going to retire, what they state to the press and fans is radically different than what they actually do professionally.
The secret is with USADA.
When you truly retire, why would you still allow yourself to be randomly tested by USADA and provided them with your schedule, and then stick by it?
Well the answer to that is simple, the waiting period once you are back in the testing pool before you can fight again.
Check this out from USADA themselves 👇
If you didn’t know already, USADA have an open database that you can do a simple athlete query on.
Let’s do that for Conor McGregor shall we?
There we go, 2 tests this year 🤓 and he is still active in the pool.
If Conor McGregor was to retire then in accordance with Article 5.7.3 of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, athletes wanting to come out of retirement must enroll in the UFC RTP and make themselves available for testing for a period of at least six (6) months before returning to competition. To re-enroll in the UFC RTP, an athlete must send a return-from retirement statement through courier, fax, or email to the UFC.
Do you think he is really retired? The data says not, once I hear news that Conor McGregor has removed himself from the USADA dope testing pool then I’ll believe it.
Let us know what you think in the comments below 😎
Top comments (5)
I would agree, he has retired numerous of times before and come back. There is always a big pay cheque waiting for him if he wants it. If I were to try and predict the future I see Masvidal vs Diaz and the winner faces McGregor 💵💵💵
I think that is a good shout but why does Dana White always tease and then states that it would be a horrible idea because Masvidal is too big and that Conor McGregor isn't a natural welterweight?
Dana basically said yesterday that he doesn’t have to offer Conor McGregor any fights this year due to his retirement. But he may fight in 2021.... all planned I think
Tbh, I really feel for the first time in a long while that the UFC is finally evolving past Conor McGregor. You can tell that this is a game of chess, not sure what the rules are but each party are making moves, the UFC are obliged contractually to offer their fighters 3 fights a year, otherwise they have to pay them. Dana White says this all the time. By the end of 2020 Conor McGregor should have been offered 3 fights, either way - he has chosen not to fight for various reasons. Maybe going into 'retirement' means that contractually the UFC doesn't have to offer him anything?
I love Conor but I agree, I think people are warming to him exiting the promotion for real. I don't think he has retired either but I think politics just get in the way of what he wants to achieve, it happens to them all, once they get so big there are so many variables that need to be considered for when the compete, shame really.