10 Struggling MMA Fighters That Will Bounce Back

Tag: UFC drug testing

Pat Healy Tests Positive for Marijuana After UFC 159, Stripped of Win Over Jim Miller and $135,000 in Bonuses [UPDATED]


(Short version: We’re going to pretend this fight never happened, just like we’re going to pretend marijuana is a performance-enhancing drug. / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

The greatest night of Pat Healy‘s career has been retroactively changed to some old bullshit. Following his fantastic rear-naked choke victory over Jim Miller last month at UFC 159 — which earned Healy Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night awards totaling $130,000 — “Bam Bam” failed his drug test, coming up positive for marijuana. As a result, Healy’s win has been changed to a no-contest, he’s been suspended from competition from 90 days, and he’s being forced to return the aforementioned $130k in bonus money and his $5,000 win bonus.

Healy confirmed the news in an official statement:

I would like to start off by apologizing to the UFC, Jim Miller, the MMA community, it’s fans, my family, teammates and coaches for my positive testing for marijuana after my UFC 159 fight with Jim Miller. I was fully aware of the UFC and State Commission’s drug policies and made poor life choices. I stand behind the UFC and the State Commission’s disciplinary actions. I support efforts to make MMA and sports a clean, safe and fair place to compete…

Read More ADD COMMENTS (22) DIGG THIS

Friday Link Dump: The Blackzilians Hire New Coaches, The Weirdest Japanese Video Games Ever, How to Annoy Your Ex on Facebook + More


(Fortunately, Michael Jackson was able to shake his “hard-partying ladies man” image. / Check out even more WTF-worthy celebrity photos at WorldWideInterweb)

Chris Weidman Training with Uriah Hall to Prepare for Anderson Silva (BleacherReport)

Alexander Gustafsson Injury Put UFC in Bad Position, But Situation Could’ve Been Handled Better (MMAFighting)

UFC on Fuel TV 9: Everything You Need to Know (FightDay)

After Rough Stretch, Blackzillians Hire High-Profile Coaches (CageWriter)

Amir Sadollah Injured, Nah-Shon Burrell Now Meets Stephen Thompson at UFC 160 (MMAJunkie)

UFC 158 Drug Tests Come Back Clean, But Not Without Some Controversy (MMAWeekly)

The 10 Weirdest Japanese Video Games Ever Made (Complex)

10 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Workouts (MensFitness)

Sesame Street: Evil, Awful, and Terrible for Kids (EgoTV)

Sinkholes Are In Style: 3 Most Amazing Holes Around the Planet (DoubleViking)

Ryan Gosling Is Acting Quiet And Killing Guys Again In ‘Only God Forgives’ Trailer (ScreenJunkies)

The People’s Critic: Remembering Roger Ebert (Grantland)

How to Annoy Your Ex on Facebook (Break.com)

Read More ADD COMMENTS (4) DIGG THIS

Vitor Belfort Is Testing the [Expletive] Out of Himself, Apparently


(Vitor anxiously waits to find out what kinds of drugs he’ll be testing.)

Trying to get Vitor Belfort to issue a clear statement about his relationship with testosterone replacement therapy has been pretty much impossible over the past few months. So far, what we know is that the thirty-five year old Brazilian – who has failed a drug test in the past – was granted a TUE for TRT prior to his UFC on FX 7 victory over Michael Bisping, but none of that matters because when you judge people, it sounds like you are a god and freedom and privacy and all that other fun stuff. Not that I’m trying to sound like a god or anything, but shady, evasive non-answers like these are one of the many reasons that Dana White has recently promised to crack down on TRT usage.

Yet at a press conference for UFC on FX 8, Belfort gave the reporters on hand a straightforward answer about his usage, claiming not only that he tests himself regularly to ensure that his levels stay within the acceptable range, but also that the UFC has always known about his usage. Via Tatame:

“The UFC always knew that I use, do not do it to cheat. I have medical monitoring and UFC also accompanies it. Never broken through anything, always acted cleanly. Do blood tests every week to equal the testosterone levels of a person my age. Many people are averse to treatment. I am not. I am in favor of people being open and fair in what they are doing.”

Read More Comment(1) DIGG THIS

Lavar Johnson Fired Following UFC 157 Drug Test; ‘Big’ Admits to Undergoing Testosterone Replacement Therapy


(“HYPOGONADISM BITCH, ALL DAY!” / Photo via Esther Lin @ MMAFighting)

Though his job appeared to be safe following his UFC 157 decision loss to Brendan Schaub, pissing dirty for steroids turned out to be the kiss of death for heavyweight Lavar “Big” Johnson. In light of his failed drug test, Johnson has been cut by the UFC. In addition, the California State Athletic Commission has hit him with a nine-month suspension, as well as a fine of “around $1,250″ that reflects the cost of the two tests the CSAC used for his drug screening.

MMAJunkie adds some more surprising details about what led to Johnson’s PED bust:

An elevated testestosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio of 6.6-to-1 triggered a carbon isotope ratio (CIR) test that confirmed Johnson had testosterone in his system that was “was consistent with the administration of a steroid.” Johnson, though, admitted he was undergoing testosterone replacement therapy in a recent conversation with the California State Athletic Commission, which oversaw the Feb. 23 pay-per-view event at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and suspended him based on the results of his test. Johnson failed to disclose TRT on a pre-fight medical questionnaire. A rep for AKA said the fighter may seek an exemption for the treatment.

Here’s how you know TRT is nothing more than a bullshit cheating-method — when a dude who looks like this claims to need it, and then avoids mentioning it during his pre-fight medicals. Ah well. You can’t say the UFC didn’t warn you. In other UFC drug-bust aftermath news…

Read More ADD COMMENTS (12) DIGG THIS

UFC’s New Drug Rules: All Fighters Tested Overseas, No Bonuses Until Tests Are Passed


(“F*ckin’ with your cash is the only thing you kids seem to understand!” / Photo via FCFighter.com)

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner revealed to MMAJunkie yesterday that the promotion has instituted a pair of new rules to act as deterrents against their fighters using performance enhancing drugs. First, all fighters who compete at international events will now be tested for performance-enhancing drugs. The UFC has traditionally hired independent local facilities to test fighters during events outside of North America, but in the past, only a few fighters per card were usually selected for testing.

The shift in policy may have been spurred by a recent stretch in which the UFC’s independent drug screening busted fighters at three consecutive overseas cards. UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro — where all fighters were screened for banned substances — resulted in suspensions for Stephan Bonnar (Drostanolone) and Dave Herman (marijuana). A month later, Thiago Silva tested positive for weed at UFC Macao. And finally, Rousimar Palhares and Joey Beltran failed drug tests following UFC on FX 6 in Australia.

The wave of botched tests is an embarrassing trend, and the UFC is clearly trying to get in front of it. Testing all their fighters at international events going forward will send a message to fighters who may have considered rolling the dice with banned substances, thinking that testing policies are a little more lax when formal athletic commissions aren’t running the show.

Read More ADD COMMENTS (8) DIGG THIS
CagePotatoMMA