The New York Times reports that UFC fighter Conor McGregor (who boxed Floyd Mayweather in 2017) used performance-enhancing drugs in the aftermath of a badly broken leg in 2021. The Times did not have direct evidence of a positive test, but quoted a McGregor social media post in which the former mixed martial arts champion seemed to admit it: “Everything was fully disclosed before I began." McGregor withdrew from the UFC testing program for a period lasting until 2023. The Time wrote, "During that process, officials learned that McGregor had indeed taken banned drugs while outside the pool, according to the two people." McGregor is believed to be planning a comeback, either in MMA or bare knuckles boxing.

 

McGregor broke his left leg during a fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021. According to the report, McGregor's request to take otherwise banned substance(s) (known as a "therapeutic use exemption"), had the support of one of the most prominent sports doctors in the world, according to the doctor himself. McGregor then engaged in an active effort to evade scrutiny from antidoping officials. The times identified the doctor as Neal ElAttrache, one of the most removed sports surgeons in the world.

 

The Times said the exemption to take the performance enhancing substance was never granted and McGregor then withdrew from the UFC’s antidoping program, which meant he was no longer subject to drug testing. In October 2025, the UFC suspended McGregor for missing tests, but it has since reduced the term of the suspension.