UFC president Dana White has confirmed that matchmaking for the promotion's planned White House fight event will not begin until February 2026, effectively ruling out Conor McGregor's involvement due to his ongoing anti-doping suspension. White reiterated that no discussions have taken place regarding the card, which is scheduled for the South Lawn in June 2026.
McGregor, 37, was handed an 18-month ban by the UFC's anti-doping programme after missing three sample collections in 2024. The suspension, backdated to September 20, 2024, will expire on March 20, 2026, just three months before the White House event. White deflected questions about McGregor's availability, directing inquiries to Jeff Novitzky, the UFC's Senior Vice-President of Athlete Health and Performance.
The former two-weight champion has not fought since breaking his leg in 2021 and withdrew from a scheduled bout with Michael Chandler in June 2024 due to a broken toe. McGregor had previously claimed that a White House fight with Chandler was a 'done deal', but White dismissed this, stating that no fights have been booked for the event.
McGregor's ban stems from whereabouts failures on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024. The UFC's anti-doping body noted that he was injured and not preparing for a fight at the time, leading to a reduced sanction from the standard 24 months. McGregor cooperated fully with the investigation and accepted responsibility.
Off the canvas, McGregor has faced legal troubles, including a civil jury finding him liable for assaulting a woman who accused him of rape in 2018. He denies the allegations and has appealed the verdict. He also briefly pursued a presidential run in Ireland but abandoned the effort due to eligibility constraints.
