Conor McGregor`s recent 18-month suspension, imposed by the UFC, has ignited a strong backlash from one of the Octagon’s most experienced fighters.
Despite indications that he would return in time for next summer’s much-anticipated UFC White House card, the former champion has received an 18-month retroactive suspension from the promotion.
The penalty is a consequence of violating the CSAD anti-doping policy, specifically after the Dublin native failed on three separate occasions to disclose his whereabouts for mandatory random drug testing.
However, the retroactive nature of this ban has led a former welterweight standout to argue that McGregor’s potential participation in the high-profile Washington event is fundamentally unfair.
Matt Brown Questions Fairness of Conor McGregor’s UFC Suspension
While McGregor has yet to make a public statement regarding his suspension, maintaining a social media hiatus, he reportedly remains steadfast in his ambition to compete on the White House lawn next year.
However, for former welterweight contender Matt Brown, the UFC’s new partnership with CSAD, following the termination of its agreement with USADA, presents significant potential for a conflict of interest.
“UFC controls the doping,” Brown asserted during an appearance on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast. “Who’s to say they’re not letting certain people dope and not even saying anything? They could absolutely be doing it and just not saying anything.”
Brown elaborated on his concerns, stating, “Whoever’s fighting Conor, are they not going to be like, ‘what the f—?’ He knows what’s happening. You’re going to tell me if the UFC’s controlling the doping, and they’re doing a White House card next year, and then say Conor fails a test the week before, are they not going to be like ‘all right Conor, we can’t really say anything right now’?”
He concluded his strong critique, asking, “What the f— are they going to do? Are they going to pull out Conor from the f*cking White House event? …It’s just not right.”
Matt Brown`s Past Challenge to Conor McGregor
Brown, a distinguished former top welterweight contender who officially retired last summer, has maintained a long-standing rivalry with the two-division champion, McGregor.
He ended his career with a spectacular knockout victory over Court McGee the previous year, an achievement that saw him tie heavyweight icon Derrick Lewis for the most knockouts in Octagon history, with 13.
After McGregor publicly acknowledged the Ohio veteran’s impressive knockout record, Brown made an unusual offer, inviting the superstar to break that very record by facing him in the cage.
