It appears Conor McGregor is the only active UFC fighter who has not been tested by USADA this year.

TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter did some digging into the USADA testing database and discovered that McGregor stands alone in terms of active UFC fighters who have yet to be tested in 2022.

Conor McGregor is the only UFC fighter yet to be drug tested by USADA this year despite his plans to return to the octagon in the coming months, according to reports.

McGregor's team and the UFC declined comment.

USADA provided TSN with the following statement: pic.twitter.com/7iNSS6BwXU

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 23, 2022

McGregor, 34, has been out of action since suffering a gruesome leg break against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, which kept him out of training for close to a year.

Now the Irishman is closing in on a return to action after recent footage on social media showed him looking sharp in the gym, with potential bouts against Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje mooted and Floyd Mayweather also keen to bring him back over to boxing for another money-spinning crossover event.

“After cross-referencing the entire active UFC roster with USADA’s athlete test history database, I found that Conor McGregor was the lone active fighter, (aside from some athletes who signed after Aug. 1) to not be tested by USADA.”

According to the UFC's anti-doping policy, the only way McGregor would be exempt from testing would be if his UFC contract was terminated or he provided the UFC with written notice that he was retiring.

McGregor is currently ranked #11 in the official UFC lightweight rankings. pic.twitter.com/bAVFvIgezx

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 23, 2022

As seen in Bronsteter’s tweet, USADA has issued a statement on the matter without addressing the McGregor situation specifically.

“Once UFC athletes are enrolled in the testing program, they are subject to testing – even when not competing – unless they notify the UFC of their retirement, their contract is terminated, or they are otherwise removed from the program. In the event of an athlete’s return to the UFC, they are required to remain in the USADA testing pool for six months before they are permitted to compete.

Similar to World Anti-Doping Agency rules, the UFC may grant an exemption to the six-month written notice rule in exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to the athlete, but in both cases under the UFC rules, the athlete must provide at least two negative samples before returning to competition. We do not comment on the testing pool status of any particular athlete.”

Among those who have been tested in 2022 are John Hathaway, Travis Browne and Sheldon Westcott, all of whom have not competed in the promotion for more than five years.

The USADA athlete test database was last updated yesterday.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 23, 2022

However, despite his imminent comeback plans McGregor is the only UFC fighter to have not undergone USADA testing in 2022, according to reports from American TV channel TSN.

While he has not competed in the octagon in over a year, USADA rules state that inactive fighters remain enrolled in the testing programme unless they notify the UFC of their retirement from MMA or their contract is terminated.

McGregor would therefore have been subject to the same regulations as active fighters, raising concerns about his alleged exclusion from testing this year.

He is still under contract and is still in the USADA pool. He has been for years, but there is no indication on whether he plans on resuming his career.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 23, 2022

USADA said in a statement: ‘Once UFC athletes are enrolled in the testing program, they are subject to testing – even when not competing – unless they notify the UFC of their retirement, their contract is terminated, or they are otherwise removed from the program.

‘In the event of an athlete’s return to the UFC, they are required to remain in the USADA testing pool for six months before they are permitted to compete.

Similar to World Anti-Doping Agency rules, the UFC may grant an exemption to the six-month written notice rule in exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to the athlete, but in both cases under the UFC rules, the athlete must provide at least two negative samples before returning to competition.

We do not comment on the testing pool status of any particular athlete.’

McGregor has a number of options on the table ahead of his return from injury, including a surprise boxing proposal from former foe Mayweather.

The latter came out on top when they first contested a unique crossover bout in August 2017, stopping his fellow PPV star inside 10 rounds.