MMA News Roundup: Conor McGregor Spotted With Criminals, CM Punk’s UFC Return, Nick Diaz Cleared

Another edition of the MMA News Roundup has arrived.

Fresh off UFC 223, a new lightweight champion has been crowned and Rose Namajunas maintained her strawweight gold. Of course those weren’t the headlines dominating fight week. It was Conor McGregor’s antics and now we have even more details about the day he attacked a fighter van.

That story and more are featured in this week’s MMA News Roundup. Let’s get to it.

3. Nick Diaz Cleared By USADA

It’s no secret that Nick Diaz is quite fond of marijuana. Many have debated whether or not it should be removed from the list of banned substances for mixed martial arts bouts. Diaz has been popped three times for marijuana use. He was even suspended for five years by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) before getting that penalty reduced to 18 months.

Diaz found himself in a bit of a pickle with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). In April 2017, he received his third Whereabouts Failure. Diaz accepted a one-year sanction and can return to action after April 19.

2. CM Punk’s UFC Return Confirmed

CM Punk will step back inside the Octagon in less than two months. The UFC announced that Punk will do battle with Mike Jackson on June 9. It’ll be a special night for Punk, as he’ll be competing in front of his hometown crowd inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

In his UFC debut, Punk was submitted by Mickey Gall in the first round. While Punk was clearly outmatched in the bout, the fight with Jackson is a bit more even. Jackson is 0-1 as a pro and was also submitted by Gall.

1. Conor McGregor Pictured With Irish Criminal Duo

The image you see above was posted hours before Conor McGregor attacked a van holding UFC 223 red corner fighters. The picture has since been removed from Instagram. The image is noteworthy because McGregor is hanging out with two men who have 66 convictions between them.

The men seen with McGregor are Jonathan and Andrew Murray. McGregor was arrested following his assault after the UFC 223 media day session on April 5 before posting bail. McGregor hurled a dolly, smashing a van window and injuring two fighters. Many have questioned who McGregor has been surrounding himself with and this latest development is sure to raise some eyebrows.

That does it for this week’s edition of the MMA News Roundup. Be sure to visit MMANews.com for live coverage of UFC Glendale tomorrow night (April 14).