Conor McGregor’s UFC return is edging closer. McGregor has not fought since suffering a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, but he returned to the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (Usada) testing pool on 8 October. The end of that saga has also sparked the end of the UFC’s relationship with Usada, which said on 11 October that it would not renew its partnership with the UFC in January, claiming that the organisations’ relationship was made ‘untenable’ by McGregor’s situation. It was announced in February that McGregor, 35, would fight Michael Chandler this year, but McGregor remained absent from the Usada pool for months; in order to compete in the UFC, athletes must have been in the pool for six months while returning zero positive test results and at least two negatives. The UFC and McGregor hinted that he might be granted an exemption, something that Usada spoke out against in early October. “We can confirm that Conor McGregor has re-entered the Usada testing pool,” said Usada CEO Travis Tygart. “We have been clear and firm with the UFC that there should be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor [...] Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honor the six-month or longer requirement because, as of 1 January 2024, Usada will no longer be involved with the UFC Anti-Doping Program. “Despite a positive and productive meeting about a contract renewal in May 2023, the UFC did an about-face and informed Usada on Monday 9 October that it was going in a different direction. We are disappointed for UFC athletes, who are independent contractors who rely on our independent, gold-standard global program to protect their rights to a clean, safe, and fair Octagon. The UFC’s move imperils the immense progress made within the sport under Usada’s leadership. “The relationship between Usada and UFC became untenable given the statements made by UFC leaders and others questioning Usada’s principled stance that McGregor not be allowed to fight without being in the testing pool for at least six months.” If Usada were to renew its relationship with the UFC in January and McGregor were to honour its stipulations, that would put his earliest return date at some time in April – when UFC 300 is expected to take place. McGregor even told TNT Sports on 28 October, while present at Tyson Fury’s boxing match with Francis Ngannou, that April was being discussed with the UFC. However, the end of the UFC-Usada partnership in January theoretically means that McGregor can return any time after that, without having to concern himself with drug-testing rules. That could change now that the UFC has partnered with a different drug-testing organisation, Drug Free Sport, but that remains to be seen. UFC 298 is expected to take place in February, with UFC 299 likely to be staged in March. McGregor could therefore feature on either card, in theory, and some fans and pundits have argued that UFC 300 will conjure enough hype as it is – without needing McGregor to be involved. In other words: UFC 300 can be sold with other high-profile match-ups, while McGregor’s return sells itself; or: UFC 300 does not need McGregor, and the Irishman does not need UFC 300. McGregor is still expected to face Chandler, with the 37-year-old American having held out for the icon’s return despite its ongoing delay. Since the announcement of McGregor vs Chandler, McGregor has in fact talked up potential bouts with Justin Gaethje and old rival Nate Diaz, though the latter is no longer signed to the UFC. Furthermore, UFC president Dana White has insisted that Gaethje will not be next for McGregor. There is less certainty around the weight at which McGregor will return, however. After winning the featherweight title in 2015, McGregor collected the lightweight belt in 2016 to become the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion, but he has also competed at welterweight three times, trading wins with Diaz in 2016 and stopping Donald Cerrone in 2020. While there is no expectation for McGregor to fight at featherweight again, and although Chandler typically fights at lightweight, McGregor has hinted that he could return at middleweight – having bulked up significantly while recovering from his broken leg. McGregor suffered that injury in his second straight defeat by Poirier, who knocked out the Irishman in January 2021. The pair, who contested those bouts at lightweight, previously clashed at featherweight in 2014, with McGregor knocking out the American. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Usada ends UFC partnership over ‘untenable’ Conor McGregor situation Kamaru Usman to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 after Paulo Costa withdraws Charles Oliveira replaced by Alexander Volkanovski in Islam Makhachev fight

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Georgia Stanway feels she has developed “so much” on and off the pitch during her year with Bayern Munich – although she rates her German as “terrible”. The 24-year-old midfielder left Manchester City, where she had been since 2015, and joined Bayern last summer before playing a key role in England’s home-soil Euros triumph. As she now prepares for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand starting next week, Stanway has had a season with her new club which began with some issues, ended with a league title and overall, she says, has enhanced her as a player and person. Asked how she is faring in terms of picking up the local language, though, she said: “Terrible. I’ve seen a quote which says ‘life’s too short to learn German’ and I completely agree. “I have two lessons a week and my teacher keeps saying ‘it’s going to click’, but nearly 12 months in and there’s no click yet.” Of the bigger picture, Stanway said: “I’ve developed so much on and off the pitch. “On the pitch I’ve got so much more responsibility. I have a leadership role which I never expected to happen in such a short space of time. I’ve seen a quote which says 'life’s too short to learn German' and I completely agree. Georgia Stanway “I’ve been consistent in my performances in the position I’m playing in which I’ve been able to make my own and that only helps me when I come into this environment. Whether it’s technical actions or that I’ve got more control over my game, it helps. “In terms of the way I am as a person I’m just so much more open. I went to a country where no-one knew who I was and I’d never met anyone I was with before and I could be whoever I wanted to be and no-one was going to judge me for that. “I think that’s so important in a football environment…to just be you.” Stanway arrived in Germany four days after the Euros final, was in one apartment for three months, then moved into one of her own that had no kitchen at first – a situation that meant, in a good way, that she “had to ask for help”. Socialising with team-mates has been a big aspect of her experience, with her saying: “We do so much outside of football as a team at Bayern and that has made us stronger on the pitch which is really important.” Stanway says she had a winter break “dip”, adding: “It wasn’t necessarily an emotional time but it was more just the kind of time where I could have just stayed on the sofa for two weeks. “I was supposed to meet Keira (Walsh, her England and former City team-mate) in Barcelona for New Year but I didn’t even make it out there for New Year because I was just that tired. I was sleeping long past my alarm until the middle of the afternoon which is something I’ve never done before. “I was just absolutely shattered. After that two weeks you’re able to go again. But it’s important people do recognise how hard we work.” Stanway’s Bayern debut last September was a 0-0 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt in which, she says, she “really struggled”. She said: “I couldn’t get on the ball and gave away a few fouls. Obviously first-game nerves, you want to try and turn up, be the hero, which is normal. “But since then I’ve gained consistency. My technical actions are much more consistent and my range of passing is massively improved.” She ended up making 21 starts, scoring six times, in Bayern’s league success, and also netted three Champions League goals. Stanway – who sang Sweet Caroline to her team-mates as an initiation song, and then, thanks to an audio delay, “the worst version you’ve ever heard” to a Munich crowd after the title win – says she is “really proud” of how she has performed for Bayern, adding: “To win a trophy in my first year is unbelievable.” Germany could be World Cup quarter-final opponents for England and Stanway said: “To be fair Sarina (Wiegman, the England manager) probably knows everything already. She probably knows more than me. She’s a genius that way. “That could be interesting. I’ll probably have to stay off my phone that week.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Wimbledon offers no guarantees over moving Centre Court start time Key issues facing England and Australia ahead of the fourth Test Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu signs new deal to complete remarkable journey with Luton

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North Macedonia head coach Blagoja Milevski believes England have some of the best players in the world and admits his side need a “miracle” to get a result in their Euro 2024 qualifier at Old Trafford. England top Group C having won their opening three games and can take a large step to reaching the finals in Germany next summer if they continue that run in Manchester on Monday night. North Macedonia, meanwhile, let a two-goal lead slip to lose at home to Ukraine on Friday night and Milevski knows things are not about to get easier. “We shouldn’t waste words talking about the quality of this England team,” he said. “Individually or as a team, they are one of the best, have the best players in the world and showed their quality a few days ago. “On an international level and at club level, if we are talking about English football it is the best in the world and it will be a great pleasure to play against them. “On one way it is the easiest (game). England is obvious the strongest in our group so there is no pressure on North Macedonia because our players are going to perform their best and – without that pressure – they are going to enjoy competing with England. Macedonia, as they were known at the time, secured a memorable 0-0 draw at Old Trafford when they last faced England as part of Steve McClaren’s ill-fated Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. Milevski, though, will not be looking at that game as inspiration for his side, who he wants to enjoy the occasion. He added: “From 2006 – that is 17 years ago now – but now Macedonia show not only in this moment but back for quite a few years that we can be competitive in Europe. “I don’t have to mention what they achieved already in the past, we know that Macedonia has enough strength to be competitive in these qualifiers. “It is very rare to have this chance to play in front of such a crowd and in such a stadium. “Just the competition and the league that is played in England is very impressive and as soon as you enter this kind of environment, you don’t need any more motivation than that, you have a chance to show the maximum you possess. “As far as this competition is concerned, we are such a team that we need to make a miracle, any nervousness we have before the match we are going to forget about it on the pitch. “This, in front of us tomorrow, maybe happens once or twice in your career as a player and a management team and we need to show we are able to do miracles like we did in other competitions. “We have shown many times this team has the ability to compete against the biggest international teams and we are going to do our best.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Hampshire beat Surrey by nine wickets to stay on course for quarter-final place Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick says US Open course is ‘not my cup of tea’ James McClean wants to carry on playing for Ireland for as long as possible

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