Conor McGregor and UFC Fire Back at Drug Use Allegations, McGregor Says He Forgives Himself

In a revealing appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on June 16, Conor McGregor opened up about his recovery from a broken leg, and the narrative set forth by a recent New York Times report that claimed he exited the USADA testing pool and used “banned drugs” to recover from a broken leg that he suffered during his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021.

The UFC also responded with an official statement, claiming that the narrative of McGregor’s lack of testing while out of competition was misleading.

McGregor is set to headline UFC 329 on July 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, marking his first fight in five years against Max Holloway.

Watch the entire interview here (via The Ariel Helwani Show on YouTube):

McGregor on PED Controversy

McGregor’s comments in the interview confirmed parts of a recent New York Times report that detailed his use of banned performance-enhancing drugs to recover from his leg injury. 

After his surgery, Dr. Neal ElAttrache referred McGregor to specialists who prescribed the substances. McGregor defended the choice, saying his priority was to walk again.

“Shocking! Shocking! A man’s private medical, from the most devastating injury that you’ll see in combat sports. The whole thing is strange to me,” McGregor told Helwani.

He also clarified that he did, in fact, exit the USADA testing pool to use substances that would have gotten him a positive drug test, but only did so at the threat of not being able to walk again. 

“There’s a chance, there’s like a 20 percent chance that that leg doesn’t join together again. It’s called a non-union, where the bone doesn’t join. You’re left on a wobble forever. That’s what’s at stake here! F— this fighting game, are you crazy?! I have children to raise and play with. So, I was a bit shocked that that was the case.”

After recovering, he returned to the testing pool before his fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303, which never came to fruition.

“I took myself out of the pool, listened to my doctors, didn’t ask questions,” McGregor claimed. “I don’t even know. If you’re going to ask what I was on, I don’t even know. I don’t want to know. All I want to know is, what’s going to get me back to my f— feet to be able to play with my children in a normal capacity again? And that was it.”

Since the UFC and USADA split ways, McGregor has actually been the most-tested fighter on the entire UFC roster according to the UFC’s official testing pool.

“How many f— times have I been tested this year? 15 or something. About 15 times this year,” he remarked.

UFC Releases Statement

Since the New York Times article was released, the UFC also released a statement addressing the matter.

The main crux of their statement was to claim that Times reporter Michael Schmidt falsely insinuated that McGregor’s debacle with USADA was the main reason the UFC split with the drug-testing agency.

They stated that his medical advisor, the team doctor for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Dodgers, Neal ElAttrache, “advised the appropriate recovery and rehabilitation protocol.”

The statement also read, “McGregor did not compete for five years and maintained proper communication with our team throughout, remaining in full compliance with the rules of our comprehensive drug program.”

“Any suggestion that UFC’s decision to end its partnership with USADA was related to Conor McGregor is categorically false,” it continued. “Internal communications and documentation clearly show that discussions regarding a transition away from USADA began months before any conversations involving McGregor.”

The statement also claimed that the narrative is a “continued attempt by USADA leadership to misrepresent the facts surrounding UFC’s unilateral decision to terminate our agreement with them and instead choose to partner with a far more competent, organized, and sophisticated testing group comprised of Drug Free Sport, Combat Sports Anti-Doping, and SMRTL laboratories.” 

The statement concluded, “The health and safety of our athletes remain our highest priority. We fully support Conor McGregor and look forward to his return to the Octagon this summer.”

McGregor Forgives Himself

Beyond the medical talk, McGregor provided insight into his mental state, admitting he hit “rock bottom” at one point. He described the need for constant discipline to avoid past demons, comparing it to “being on a tightrope.”

“God knows my heart and the things that I’ve gone through,” he said. “I forgive myself for disgracing the position that God put me in, which I have done many times, and I won’t do it again.”

“That’s where I’m at today. I don’t have regrets. I’m happy and thankful for the lessons that I learned on the way,” McGregor added.

“People don’t understand the darkness of being in that situation with that injury,” McGregor said. “It ain’t easy. So I’m very happy that I’m f— through it.”