MMA-URLS

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Posted in: ufc, drug, testing, breakfastguru, sport ”

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Embattled UFC welterweight Nick Diaz has been suspended for one year by the Nevada state athletic commission on Monday for his post-UFC 143 drug test that came back positive for marijuana metabolites. In addition, Diaz will have to forfeit 30 purse of his $200,000 fight purse, a total of $60,000. In a three-hour hearing at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas, Diaz's attorney Ross Goodman argued that the presence of marijuana metabolites in Diaz's sample did not prove he had used the drug in-competition, and that because World Anti-Doping Agency code does not prohibit out-of-competition marijuana usage, no suspension should be given. Goodman produced an expert witness, Dr. John Hiatt, who is now semi-retired but previously worked for reputable drug lab Quest Diagnostics, told the commission that Diaz's test level results -- 25 nanograms per milileter -- could certainly be consistent with someone who stopped using marijuana as much as eight days prior to the test, or even more. "Depending on the amount of body fat a person has, the rate of turnover of that fat, whether they’re gaining weight or losing weight, they may be positive for marijuana in the urine for the metabolite for days, weeks, or even more than a month after last use," he said. Diaz explained his history with marijuana, saying he first began taking it recreationally with friends before learning it could possibly used to address his ongoing issues with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Diaz said he was first diagnosed with that around the time he was in second grade, and that for years, he was ordered to take drugs including Ritalin, Adderall and Prozac. As he got older, he said, he learned that some of these drugs were similar to methamphetamine and began to learn about the therapeutic uses of marijuana. Later though, NSAC chairman Skip Avansino and deputy attorney general Christopher Eccles seized upon that admission to make a point about potential performance-enhancing aspects of marijuana. At one point, Avansino asked Diaz if he used marijuana while training? Diaz responded yes, and later added that he used it for "sparring, competitive training, hard training, triathlon racing. Anything that's not going to test me for it. Sure, why not?" Eccles then asked if it increased his focus, and Diaz said yes. But in the end, NSAC seemed to be unable to get past two things. First was the presence of marijuana metabolites in his sample. Even Dr. Hiatt admitted that the test was the industry standard for drug usage. The second was that Diaz had not included any mention of his marijuana usage on a pre-drug test questionnaire, nor any mention of a "serious medical issue" like ADHD that precipitated his use. Goodman, who mounted a vigorous defense of Diaz, argued that Diaz did not disclose the medical marijuana usage because the form supplied to him had only questions about "prescription" and "over-the-counter" medication, and neither of those truly applied to Diaz's situation, since it was not technically a prescription but a doctor's note that made him eligible to buy medical marijuana from a dispensary. Diaz said he not consider his case a "serious medical issue," saying he believed the question was reserved for things that would "prevent me from fighting" like a broken bone or injury. NSAC executive director Keith Kizer at one point testified of his own belief that Diaz had tried to dilute the sample, saying he had done so in a October 2011 test, which came back marked "abnormal/negative" from the lab. Kizer said Diaz said that in the post-UFC 143 test, Diaz did not submit a sample until the early morning hours, under threat of not being paid. "There was definitely at attempt, in my mind, both in October and February, for him to dilute the sample," he said. In his closing argument, Eccles asked the commission to hold Diaz accountable for his "doping violation," and they did. Lundvall noted there is a strict liability standard that the athlete is responsible for, but also added that she wished Diaz would have approached the commission about a therapeutic use exemption for his usage. "I think a reasonable person would deduce you have a serious medical condition," she said. The commission's vote was unanimous for the one-year suspension, which means won't be eligible to fight until at least February 3, 2013.

Posted in: diaz, test, drug, marijuana, marijuana metabolites

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According to a report from the Liverpool Echo (HT: MMA Convert), former UFC fighter, Paul Kelly (12-5), along with several others, has been arrested and charged for drug offenses after a drug bust in Liverpool, England. Cannabis, ammunition, and "drugs believed to be heroin" were reportedly found in the several locations that were raided during the sting. From the report: THREE men were charged with drug offences last night after raids across Merseyside. Police swooped on addresses in Liverpool and Sefton yesterday and arrested six men and a woman after seizing Class A drugs and firearms ammunition. The force’s Matrix unit supported by neighborhood officers executed the dawn raids and also confiscated large amounts of money. ... Christopher McGirr, 27, of Carina Court, Aigburth, and Paul Kelly, 27, of Swanside Road, Knotty Ash, were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs. Paul Rogers, 27, of Smithford Walk, Roby, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. All three men were held in custody and were due to appear at Liverpool magistrates court this morning. Kelly has since responded, saying there was nothing illegal found on his Liverpool home: @paulkellymmapaul kelly Just to clarify yes my house was raided by mersyside matrix division who found no drugs or anything ov any criminal nature May 16 via Mobile Web Favorite Retweet Reply Kelly compiled a (4-4) record in the UFC and last fought in the promotion on February 2011, losing to top contender, Donald Cerrone. After being released by the promotion, the Brit competed in Super Fight League 2, losing to Ryan Healy by a lopsided decision.

Posted in: kelly, drug bust, drug, liverpool, supply class

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Paul Kelly, who fought under the UFC banner last year with his last bout coming against Donald Cerrone, was arrested in his native country of England in a drug raid. Kelly and several other men were found to have cannabis plants, drugs believed to be heroin, firearms ammunition and stacks of money money at many locations around different cities in an organized raid. The 27-year-old won five fights in the UFC and has a career record of 12-5. Kelly, who lost to Cerrone via submission, was defeated by Ryan Healy earlier this year in India at Super Fight League 2. The Liverpool Echo first reported Kelly’s arrest on Monday in a report. Kelly has now taken to his own Twitter account to update the story, saying, “Just to clarify yes my house was raided by Mersyside Matrix Division who found no drugs or anything of any criminal nature…no drugs no cash no sting!!!” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, drug charges, kelly, drug, money money

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Paul Kelly was one of three men arrested this morning (May 15, 2012) in England and charged with conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs, according to the Liverpool Echo. Kelly was somewhat unfortunate to find himself cut from the UFC last year with a 4-3 record. He fought most recently for the Super Fight League, losing a unanimous decision to Ryan Healy. According to the Liverpool Echo article, heroin, cannabis and large sums of money were recovered as police executed 12 search warrants in the Liverpool area. In total seven arrests were made and Kelly was one of three men charged with conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs. The maximum sentence for possession of a class A drug (like heroin) with intent to supply is life, while the maximum sentence for possession of a class B drug (like cannabis) with intent to supply is 14 years, according to United Kingdom law. Kelly is 27 years old and currently has a 12-5 professional mixed martial arts (MMA) record. He fights out of Team Kaobom in Liverpool and has faced the likes of Donald Cerrone, Dennis Siver and Jacob Volkmann during his UFC career. Follow James Goyder on Twitter.com at www.twitter.com/jamesgoyder.

Posted in: class, kelly, drug, supply class, supply

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We've all heard UFC president Dana White brag about the UFC having the most rigorously tested athletes in sports. Situations like Alistair Overeem and Chael Sonnen's failed drug tests for elevated testosterone levels lend some degree of credibility to the "effectiveness" of the current testing regime. The promotion also deserves credit for putting their own testing in place when operating in a state or country with little or no actual testing. But there's another sport that not only has to deal with the current testing set up for the state athletic commissions and has athletes choosing to take things to the next level. Boxing. The first real push the sport of boxing saw for blood testing was the first round of serious negotiations for a mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Floyd demanded blood testing because of suspicions that Manny had used performance enhancing drugs and he felt that the current urine tests weren't good enough. Some felt it was a negotiating tactic, and many felt that it was unfair to expect a fighter to agree to things that the state didn't require. It did work in Floyd's favor though, as Manny's "fear of needles" really dented his credibility in the public. To Floyd's credit, he didn't back off blood testing for any opponent going forward. Shane Mosley (who had a history of PED use), Victor Ortiz and Miguel Cotto all agreed to "Olympic style" blood testing. But the idea of a "clean sport" has moved beyond just Mayweather fights. On the undercard of Mayweather vs. Cotto, Shane Mosley and Canelo Alvarez used VADA testing for their bout. The highly anticipated rematch between Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto? VADA testing there too. Lamont Peterson vs. Amir Khan II? Yep, VADA. Oh, and that Peterson/Khan fight? That might be in trouble after Lamont popped positive for a synthetic testosterone. In a bit of an ironic twist, it was Peterson who wanted the testing for the fight. So it would appear clear that VADA is reasonably effective. In fact, it's getting a little weird that every other major fight is having VADA testing except for Pacquiao's fight with Timothy Bradley. Not that I'd dare suggest that means anything. After all, fear of needles. But the larger point is that the UFC's combat sports cousin is seeing a shift in drug testing demands. Fighters and fans seem to want to try to clean up the sport a bit by going beyond the current system, which experts will say is not really all that effective. Dana White had been resistant to the idea of upping the UFC's drug testing, repeating the same lines about how hard the sport is already tested and then asking if people expect him to fly around to test fighters. But recently did start to say that they'd "figure something out" and talked about bringing in an agency. I can't help but think that a promotion the size of the UFC that talks so tough about wanting everything to be clean can afford to embrace an agency like VADA to take things to the next level. Will any sort of testing ever make a sport 100% clean? No, of course not. But it will make it more difficult for fighters to use in a sport that most people think has rampant PED use. Of course, there's still probably nothing that can be done about this sudden flood of fighters with low testosterone.

Posted in: ufc, sport, drug, testing, vada

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Dana White won't have the UFC do their own random testing, but he promises that the problems surrounding performance enhancing drugs will be figured out soon... Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: ufc, drug, performance, bull, mma dana

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Posted in: lombard, hector, drug, drug test, request

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UFC on FUEL TV 2 drug test results are in from UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner (via MMAWeekly.com), who yesterday confirmed that 24 fighters tested for illegal/banned substances after competing at the "Gustafsson vs. Silva" event on April 14 have all passed with flying colors. Main event participants Alexander Gustafsson and Thiago Silva, as well as every other fighter competing on the card, were all screened for performance enhancers such as steroids and drugs of abuse like cocaine and marijuana, among others. Results from these battery of tests all came back negative. Typically, fighters are selected randomly for drug tests. However, athletic commissions typically test the main event participants and fight night winners, as well as those who have failed drug tests in the past. UFC on FUEL TV 2: "Gustafsson Silva," featuring Alexander Gustafsson continuing his rapid rise up the light heavyweight ladder by soundly defeating the returning Thiago Silva. The next Jon Jones? We shall see. Brian Stann got back on the hog despite extensive trouble at home with one of the sickest knockouts you'll see this year. That's because he put Alessio Sakara out with short shots from guard inside the first round. And what's there to say about Siyar Bahadurzada and his 42 second destruction of Paulo Thiago? For a complete wrap up of the UFC on FUEL TV 2 event click here.

Posted in: ufc, silva, test, gustafsson, drug

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All 24 drug tests conducted at UFC on Fuel TV 2 came back negative, according to the promotion.

Posted in: ufc, tv, test, drug, fuel

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Every one of UFC on FUEL TV 2's 24 fighters underwent drug testing at March's UFC on FX 2 event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. UFC vice president of government and regulatory affairs Marc Ratner confirmed the drug-testing results with MMAjunkie.com. UFC on FUEL TV 2, which is the second of six main-card broadcasts planned for the FOX-owned cable station in 2012, took place April 14 at Stockholm's Ericsson Globe Arena.

Posted in: ufc, tv, drug, fuel, drugtesting results

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The MMA world finally received some closure in the month-long saga surrounding Alistair Overeem showing an extraordinarily high level of testosterone in his system after being randomly screened by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The failed drug test cost Overeem his crack at Junior dos Santos’ heavyweight championship in May, as well as tarnished his reputation, and will now put him on the sidelines until 2013. Overeem met with the NSAC on Tuesday to address the issue and explain his side of the story. The regulatory board initially rejected his team’s request for a continuance in hopes of strengthening their case before ultimately deciding to rule he would be ineligible for a license in the State for nine months from the date of his transgression (March 27-December 27). As expected, Overeem stated he unknowingly injected the testosterone after his doctor prescribed an anti-inflammatory containing the substance to assist with a rib injury. The physician, Dr. Hector Molina, was also in attendance and corroborated the Dutchman’s story with one exception, saying he recalled revealing testosterone being in the mixture of drugs Overeem used. Shortly after the hearing, startling news came to light regarding Dr. Molina’s past including multiple criminal charges related to theft/assault, documented cases of surgical malpractice, and prescribing drugs online, including anabolic steroids, for patients he’d never met. For the latter he was fined $25,000 and had restrictions placed on his practice for three years. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: overeem, alistair overeem, mma world, drug, testosterone

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UFC Heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem went before the Nevada State Athletic Commission today and testified that he had received an anti-inflammatory injection that contained testosterone before failing a random urine test on March 27th. Overeem's physician, Dr. Hector Oscar Molina, was also present at the hearing along with his attorney Davis Chesnoff. At the hearing Overeem testified that he saw Dr. Molina at the recommendation of retired MMA fighter Tre Telligman. Overeem had previously encountered Molina when Molina oversaw Overeem's drug testing on behalf of Texas authorities before Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum in June 2011. Dr. Molina said he injected Overeem with a cocktail including Vitamin B-12, Dexamethasone, Toradol, and an aqueous form of testosterone. Dexamethasone is an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant steroid drug, Toradol is also an anti-inflammatory. The function of the aqueous testosterone in the mix was unspecified. Related Stories: Alistair Overeem License Denied By NSAC, Unable To Reapply For 9 Months | Alistair Overeem Live NSAC Hearing Updates Molina injected Overeem with the mix in January at a Doctor's visit but said he hadn't informed Overeem that it contained testosterone (although he later seemed to contradict that statement). He also gave Overeem a vial containing more of the mix and instructed the fighter on how to inject it. Following a call on March 22nd he advised the fighter to take another injection. Molina's testimony before the NSAC left many observers unimpressed and the comments from the MMA media following the hearing on Twitter were brutal featuring multiple references to the Simpson's infamous Dr. Nick. Let's learn more about Dr. Molina after the jump... A quick Google search of for Dr. Hector Molina reveals a number of interesting articles that appear to concern the same man. First up his main medical practice and what appears to be his sideline business: The Men's Performance Enhancement Clinic. The MP-EC web site touts Molina's experience working with "MMA Fighters and Boxers" and brags that they "have over 50 collective years treating erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, and premature ejaculation caused by hormone imbalance, lack of libido, andropause (male menopause or manopause), prostate removal side effects, diabetes or psychological issues." Next, a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article from 2004 (retrieved from their pay archives): The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners has fined Dr. Hector Oscar Molina of Colleyville $25,000 and placed restrictions on his practice for three years for prescribing controlled substances and dangerous drugs over the Internet without establishing "a proper physician-patient relationship." Molina, who has a general practice in Irving, will be prohibited from prescribing Schedule II and III controlled substances, among them medications such as morphine, codeine, methadone, oxydone (Percodan), hydrocodone (Vicodin) and anabolic steroids. Controlled substances are drugs with a high potential for abuse and which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.Molina must also establish a proper physician-patient relationship with all patients in his practice, which requires him to "personally and physically see, examine, diagnose and treat every patient in person."...The action was initiated when a complaint was filed with the medical board by a Colorado man who received drugs prescribed by Molina from the unregulated Internet pharmacy, www.prescriptionconsultation.com. It is no longer operating under that name.... According to the state medical board, Molina, who was licensed in Texas in August 1997, violated the proper physician-patient relationship because he prescribed the drugs without having examined the patient, taken a proper history, acquired adequate medical records and performed adequate tests. Then there's this 2010 arrest report from LocalNewsOnly.com: HECTOR OSCAR MOLINA, 45, of 5486 Pool Road in Colleyville. Colleyville PD - Assault Causes Bodily Injury Family Violence. Arrested at 5486 Pool Road at 7:45 PM on 4/24/10 by Detective Bob Etheridge. Molina listed his occupation as self-employed Physician, Molina Medical Clinic in Irving. Released at 12:35 AM on 4/25/10. Then there's this Fox News report headlined "Plastic Surgery Nightmare for a Texas Woman": Dr. Hector Oscar Molina is an Irving doctor. His website claims he does everything from tummy tucks to facial surgery. But for the second time this year a patient has ended up at Baylor Hospital with devastating complications. " I was so scared for my daughter," said the patient's mother. "When he took off all of the bandages, we saw the wounds and they were so open and infected." The mother says her daughter, who does not want to be named, was rushed to Baylor's emergency room after getting an arm lift and breast implants at Molina Medical in Irving. She says her daughter, who weighs more than 300 pounds, wanted her arms slimmer. She complained to the Texas Board of Medical Examiners that Dr. Hector Oscar Molina performed a "17 hour" operation. She says the family called 911 nine days after the surgery because the wounds were severely infected and she couldn't breathe.

Posted in: hector, overeem, drug, dr, molina

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And the plot thickens... Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Alistair Overeem, who appeared in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today (April 24, 2012), has attributed the results of his failed drug test back on March 27 to anti-inflammatory medication he received out of competition to help with his recovery from a rib injury. That medication, which included self-injections containing testosterone, was prescribed by Dr. Hector Oscar Molina, who was referred to "The Reem" by former UFC fighter Tra Telligman. The same Dr. Hector Oscar Molina that was fined $25,000 and slapped with restrictions on his practice for three years for "prescribing controlled substances and dangerous drugs over the Internet without establishing a proper physician-patient relationship." The Star-Telegram has the gory details, after the jump. The action was initiated when a complaint was filed with the medical board by a Colorado man who received drugs prescribed by Molina from the unregulated Internet pharmacy, www.prescriptionconsultation.com. It is no longer operating under that name. According to the complaint, which is posted on the state medical board Web site, the patient obtained hydrocodone and other medications in increasingly stronger dosages. The original orders and refills were authorized by Molina. The complaint says that the patient was also being treated by his own physicians at the time and became addicted to the medications. According to the state medical board, Molina, who was licensed in Texas in August 1997, violated the proper physician-patient relationship because he prescribed the drugs without having examined the patient, taken a proper history, acquired adequate medical records and performed adequate tests. Overeem was denied a continuance during his hearing in front of the NSAC and was forced to explain why his pre-fight drug test for UFC 146, for which he is no longer participating in, returned a testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) level of 14:1, well over the cutoff limit of 6:1 under the NSAC guidelines. For ongoing details and live updates from today's hearing click here.

Posted in: overeem, drug, molina, medication, physicianpatient relationship

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It's my experience that even the most outlandish excuses from athletes in times of great distress will be met with at least some degree of defense for a portion of fans and media. That doesn't seem to be the case with Alistair Overeem, however. After unveiling his excuse for failing his random pre-fight drug test for UFC 146 (and make no mistake, his impossibly high testosterone is a failed drug test), the media and MMA fans alike greeted his "I got an injection of anti-inflammatory medicine that caused the testosterone spike" with a collective eye roll. Over at MMA Junkie, Dr. Johnny Benjamin was asked about the excuse and if it held water. His response was basically "no": It is not uncommon for injured contact- or combat-sports athletes to require anti-inflammatory injections during their training. These injections usually consist of a short-acting anesthetic (lidocaine, xylocaine or marcaine) plus a glucocorticoid (cortisone). This injection immediately numbs the injury, and the cortisone provides longer lasting anti-inflammatory properties. These injections are legal but must be disclosed on any and all pre-competition or random-screening paperwork. Cortisone is a glucocorticoid steroid, which is much different than an anabolic steroid such as testosterone (T) and many of the synthetic performance-enhancing drugs (PED) with which the sporting world is unfortunately all too familiar. Dr. Benjamin goes on to explain that testosterone is never included in these shots and, if it was, then Overeem has a duty to report the doctor who injected him and file charges with law enforcement for injecting it without the fighter's knowledge. This is going to make for a serious test for the NSAC. The excuse is bad, the ratio would seem impossibly high for a "clean" athlete and Overeem was already under scrutiny for the circumstances behind a near month delay in submitting his random pre-fight sample for UFC 141. If the NSAC lets him off with just a slap on the wrist, it would approach the level of "shocking." The thing that can't be overlooked here is that the NSAC has issued two pre-fight drug tests for Overeem fights, the first resulted in the aforementioned month delay before providing an acceptable sample and the second was a flat out failure due to tremendously elevated levels of testosterone. While they let him off easy with a conditional license the first time around, believing that Overeem flew back to Holland the day that the drug test was requested without asking for proof of the date of ticket purchase, this failure has to result in them dropping the hammer. So we'll just have to wait and see how far this excuse can take him with the commission when they meet later today.

Posted in: overeem, drug, testosterone, injection, excuse

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UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem issued an apology for his failed drug test that lead to him being pulled from the main event at UFC 146.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, drug, drug test, apology

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Posted in: overeem, alistair overeem, alistair, drug, donniebrasco

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Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez comes from the sport of wrestling, where drug testing was used on a consistent basis. Now, with all of the recent issues with drug testing starting to become a much bigger deal in the sport of MMA, Velasquez is very open to the idea of random drug testing being [...]

Posted in: velasquez, mma fighters, drug, drug testing, testing

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Tough gloves and let's keep it "clean." Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 265-pound champion Cain Velasquez will try to get back on his heavyweight horse against Frank Mir at the upcoming UFC 146 event on May 26, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The "Sin City" line-up is currently in jeopardy after Alistair Overeem flunked his pre-fight drug test, and could leave Junior dos Santos without an opponent depending on the outcome of "Demolition Man's" hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) on April 24. Velasquez, who UFC President Dana White insists will fight Mir no matter what changes take place in the main event, tells Kimura.se he just wants to fight someone who is clean, and will leave the rest up to the UFC. "I think random drug testing is good. I've always been part of a sport where we were always randomly drug tested and that's good. I'm clean, I don't take anything and I'm happy to do those kinds of tests. I want to fight against somebody who is clean. If somebody isn't, that's definitely a big advantage for them. I want it to be on the same playing field. I'm hoping everyone is clean. With Overeem's situation, I think the UFC or commission will find something to do and definitely take care of the situation, so I'll just leave it in their hands." Hear more from Velasquez on drug abuse in mixed martial arts (MMA) after the jump. For more on Cain Velasquez vs. Frank Mir at UFC 146 click here.

Posted in: ufc, velasquez, drug, nevada state, garden casino

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"Actually, no one in MMA was surprised. I guess it's impossible to get that big naturally. No one expected it (random drug test), I guess that's what happened. I don't know when he stops taking it, I don't know how these things happen and how he doesn't not to get caught, but it was a surprise (test)". -- Current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum tells Tatame that he, or anyone else in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) for that matter, is not surprised at the outcome of Alistair Overeem's random drug test, which showed "The Reem's" testosterone levels to be off the charts. As Chael Sonnen recently stated, "The Reem" didn't technically test positive for any banned substance, but rather his T-to-E ratio was off, which is not illegal (according to him). Werdum, who has faced the former K-1 kickboxing champion twice before, winning the first fight at PRIDE Total Elimination Absolute in 2006, and losing the rematch at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum last June, begs to differ. Though "Vai Cavalo" stopped short of accusing Overeem of taking any steroids or performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), he does say it is surprising that he hadn't been caught sooner, which leaves little room to argue that he indeed does believe "The Reem" is on some sort of PED. What's your opinion on the matter, or would you just rather wait until April 24, 2012, to see what exactly the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) uncovers at Overeem's hearing?

Posted in: overeem, test, drug, werdum, i dont

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It may be sad to say, but in this current day and age,  it is actually a story in the world of MMA when competitors take a drug test and come back clean. As such, eight fighters from February’s UFC 144 card in Japan were tested and the entire lot came out spotless. All of the tests were negative for drugs of abuse (street drugs) along with PEDs. Based on the lack of regulatory board in the region UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner helped lead the screenings. Benson Henderson, who became the new lightweight champion at the show, and opponent Frankie Edgar were among those tested. The other six fighters’ names were not disclosed to MMAJunkie which first reported the matter. Results from UFC on Fuel 2 are expected in the near future with the UFC also handling those tests as well based on it taking place in Sweden. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, drug test, matter results

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UFC President Dana White says drug testing in MMA is the gold standard for professional sports. So how does it stack up against other leagues like the NFL, the NBA and Major League Baseball?

Posted in: drug, gold, drug testing, league, testing

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All eight drug tests conducted at UFC 144 came back negative, according to UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner.

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, drug tests, ratner

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As part of their continuing quest for global domination, the UFC held its first event in Japan since 2000 earlier this year with UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. The event took place on February 26 and was staged at the site of the legendary Pride Fighting Championships, the Saitama, Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. In addition to featuring a host of Japanese talent and a few Pride FC throwbacks, the UFC 144 fight card saw the UFC lightweight title disputed between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson. After five rounds of intense, back-and-forth action, Henderson was declared the victor via unanimous decision to become the new kingpin at 155lbs. Being that the event took place overseas in the absence of any official athletic commission, the UFC oversaw whatever an athletic commission usually would, including drug tests. MMAJunkie obtained the results from the tests from the UFC’s vice president of governing and regulatory affairs, Marc Ratner. Eight fighters from the card were tested for performance enhancing drugs, as well as for drugs of abuse; all fighters tested passed. Of the fighters tested, Ratner would only name the two main event participants, Edgar and Henderson. Considering the close and controversial nature of their UFC 144 fight, Edgar has been granted an immediate rematch against Henderson which should take place sometime this summer.

Posted in: ufc, event, henderson, drug, edgar

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All eight fighters who underwent drug testing at February's UFC 144 event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner, confirmed the drug-testing results with MMAjunkie.com. UFC 144 took place Feb. 26, at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The main card aired on pay-per-view (on Feb. 25 due to the time difference), and FX and Facebook carried the prelims.

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug testing, time difference, drugtesting results

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Source: http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,571031-3,00.html Angel Heredia, once a doping dealer and now a chief witness for the U.S. Justice Department, talks about the powerlessness of the investigators, the motives of athletes who cheat and the drugs of the future. He had been in hiding under an assumed name in a hotel in Laredo, Texas, for two years when the FBI finally caught up with him. The agents wanted to know from Angel Heredia if he knew a coach by the name of Trevor Graham, whether he carried the nickname “Memo”, and what he knew about doping. "No", "no", "nothing" – those were his replies. But then the agents laid the transcripts of 160 wiretapped telephone conversations on the table, as well as the e-mails and the bank statements. That’s when Angel "Memo" Heredia knew that he had lost. He decided to cooperate, and he also knew that he would only have a chance if he didn’t lie – not a single time. “He’s telling the truth,” the investigators say about Heredia today. SPIEGEL: Mr. Heredia, will you watch the 100 meter final in Beijing? Heredia: Of course. But the winner will not be clean. Not even any of the contestants will be clean. SPIEGEL: Of eight runners ... Heredia: ... eight will be doped. SPIEGEL: There is no way to prove that. Heredia: There is no doubt about it. The difference between 10.0 and 9.7 seconds is the drugs. SPIEGEL: Can drugs make anyone into a world record holder? Heredia: No, that is a misapprehension: “You take a couple of tablets today and tomorrow you can really fly.” In reality you have to train inconceivably hard, be very talented and have a perfect team of trainers and support staff. And then it is the best drugs that make the difference. It is all a great composition, a symphony. Everything is linked together, do you understand? And drugs have a long-term effect: they ensure that you can recover, that you avoid the catabolic phases. Volleyball on the beach might be healthy, but peak athletics is not healthy. You destroy your body. Marion Jones, for example ... SPIEGEL: ... five-time Olympic medallist at Sydney 2000 ... Heredia: ... trained with an unparalleled intensity. Drugs protect you from injury. And she triumphed and picked up all the medals. SPIEGEL: Are you proud? Heredia: Of course, I still am. It is still a tremendous achievement, and you must not believe that Marion’s rivals were poor, deceived competitors. SPIEGEL: This isn’t just an American problem? Heredia: Are you kidding me? No. All countries, all federations, all top athletes are affected, and among those responsible are the big shoe companies like Nike and Adidas. I know athletes who broke records; a year later they were injured and they got the call: “We’re cutting your sponsorship money by 50 percent.” What do you think such athletes then do? SPIEGEL: Tell us what you did for your clients. Heredia: Athletes hear rumors and they become worried. That the competition has other tricks, that they might get caught when they travel. There is no room for mistakes. One mistake can ruin a career. SPIEGEL: So you became a therapist for the athletes in matters of drugs? Heredia: More like a coach. Together we found out what was good for which body and what the decomposition times were. I designed schedules for cocktails and regimens that depended on the money the athletes offered me. Street drugs for little money, designer drugs for tens of thousands. Usually I sent the drugs by mail, but sometimes the athletes came to me. SPIEGEL: With Marion Jones ... Heredia: ... it was about the recovery phases. In 2000 she competed in one event after another, and she needed to relax. I gave her epo, growth hormone, adrenaline injections, insulin. Insulin helps after training, together with protein drinks: insulin transports protein and minerals more quickly through the cell membrane. SPIEGEL: Jones was afraid of needles. Heredia: Yes, that’s why C. J. Hunter, her husband at the time, and her trainer Trevor Graham mixed her three substances in one injection. I advised them against it because I thought it was risky. SPIEGEL: What kind of relationship did you have with your athletes? Heredia: Business ties. It was all about levels and dosing. I rarely spoke with Marion. It was done through her coaches. submitted by red1392 [link] [4 comments]

Posted in: athlete, drug, heredia, spiegel, marion

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White recently told members of the mixed martial arts (MMA) media that it would not only be "unrealistic to chase his fighters all over the world and test them for marijuana, cocaine, steroids and other drugs," but that it would also be "impossible." Not impossible, just expensive. That's according to Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren, who ripped the Las Vegas fight boss on his official Twitter account earlier today (April 16, 2012), claiming that White's assertion was a "bold faced lie." The USOC random tests Olympic athletes in all sports. Dana saying testing his fighters would be impossible is a bold faced lie. Just making a statement about a level playing field. I didn't say it wouldn't be expensive just that it is not impossible. White insists the UFC and various athletic commissions do more drug testing than anyone else in sports, including the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB). But is it enough? Recent failed drug tests by Alistair Overeem, Nick Diaz and Cristiane Santos may suggest otherwise, but is there a program available that can break the cheaters without breaking the bank? See one possible solution (from an unlikely source) right here.

Posted in: dana, test, drug, drug tests, ben askren

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UFC president Dana White was asked about the possibility of the promotion conducting random drug testing on the fighters it has under contract at yesterday's post-fight press conference following UFC on Fuel TV 2 He violently rejected the notion as "impossible" and even "insane" "I have 375 fighters in every country all over the world. The battle that I have to get these guys to get their [expletive] bout agreements back and show up for press is un[expletive]believable. The fact that I have to make personal phone calls to tell guys to talk to the [expletive] press. Now I'm going to start making personal phone calls to go show up for random drug tests? The general public and the media need to grasp some [expletive] concept of reality, okay? The reality of us doing all the [expletive] things that we're doing, when we already have the gold standard in drug testing, and then trying to chase 375 guys all over the world to randomly test them too? It's impossible," White said. "You know why? Because this job is insane. It's [expletive] crazy. I was standing in Las Vegas ten hours a guy filming a [expletive] TV show, and now I'm sitting here. And I'm going to randomly drug test 375 guys around the world. You know where I'm going in a few hours? To Abu Dhabi. Then I go back and film ‘The Ultimate Fighter,' then I go to Atlanta, Miami, and I'm in Rio de Janeiro for three hours, then back to Las Vegas where I'll film ‘The Ultimate Fighter' again. And in between there somewhere I'm going to randomly drug test 375 [fighters]." Related: Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes commented: As drug testing experts will tell you, the science of cheating often tends to be one step ahead of the science of catching cheaters. Steroids used to be way that MMA fighters got an unfair advantage. At least then the state athletic commissions stood a decent chance of nabbing them with fight week testing, since all it took was a slight miscalculation in the timing of steroid cycles. Now testosterone is the performance-enhancer of choice, in part because it's hard to detect unless you do the right tests at the right time, which are rare in MMA. That's why it's tough to swallow when White claims that the UFC currently has "the gold standard in drug testing" for all of pro sports. As he pointed out this weekend, fighters are tested when they sign a Zuffa contract or show up to a fight. But because fighters know that, those are tests they can plan around. Especially with short-acting agents like testosterone, any test that isn't a surprise to the testee is practically a waste of time. At the moment, MMA has very little of that kind of testing, which is a problem that needs fixing....The UFC has done a lot to address this issue -- more than it is legally required to, in fact. That doesn't mean there isn't still a lot of room for necessary improvement. I think we all understand that it's difficult (though not impossible). We all understand that there are several good reasons why it isn't happening right now. But who said it was supposed to be easy? Either this matters to us or it doesn't. And if it matters, then we should find a way to do it, even when it's hard. Fowlkes makes some good points but I have to say that personally I think the UFC is already more involved in the drug testing of athletes -- they are tested by the organization when they sign, they are tested by the organization if they are on The Ultimate Fighter, they are tested by the organization if they fight in an area with no commission (Japan) or a lax commission (Texas). There needs to be an outside body with international standing that is empowered to conduct random blood test of athletes. Anything else is less than serious. SBN coverage of UFC on FUEL TV 2

Posted in: ufc, fighter, test, drug, testing

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Dana White sat down with the media for a long discussion about UFC on FUEL 2, date and location problems for UFC 147 in Brazil, the state of drug testing in the sport, why the UFC cannot implement random drug testing themselves, where King Mo stands in his eyes, the possibility of regional fight circuits [...]

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug testing, king mo, location problems

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STOCKHOLM -- I don’t blame UFC president Dana White for feeling a little sick and tired of hearing about drugs and drug testing. Coming off what was supposed to be a break from UFC action, he must feel like he’s heard a lifetime’s worth of questions about what happens when grown men are made to pee into a cup. Maybe that’s why he was in no mood to even entertain the idea of UFC-mandated random drug testing following the UFC on FUEL TV 2 press conference here on Sunday morning, blasting the idea as wholly unrealistic."I have 375 fighters in every country all over the world," White fumed. "The battle that I have to get these guys to get their [expletive] bout agreements back and show up for press is un[expletive]believable. The fact that I have to make personal phone calls to tell guys to talk to the [expletive] press. Now I’m going to start making personal phone calls to go show up for random drug tests? The general public and the media need to grasp some [expletive] concept of reality, okay? The reality of us doing all the [expletive] things that we’re doing, when we already have the gold standard in drug testing, and then trying to chase 375 guys all over the world to randomly test them too? It’s impossible." Impossible? Not really. Difficult? Probably. Something the UFC shouldn’t be responsible for? Arguably. But if the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that something needs to change if we want to make a serious effort at cleaning up this sport, because excuses -- even valid ones -- aren’t going to get it done.As drug testing experts will tell you, the science of cheating often tends to be one step ahead of the science of catching cheaters. Steroids used to be way that MMA fighters got an unfair advantage. At least then the state athletic commissions stood a decent chance of nabbing them with fight week testing, since all it took was a slight miscalculation in the timing of steroid cycles. Now testosterone is the performance-enhancer of choice, in part because it’s hard to detect unless you do the right tests at the right time, which are rare in MMA. That’s why it’s tough to swallow when White claims that the UFC currently has "the gold standard in drug testing" for all of pro sports. As he pointed out this weekend, fighters are tested when they sign a Zuffa contract or show up to a fight. But because fighters know that, those are tests they can plan around. Especially with short-acting agents like testosterone, any test that isn’t a surprise to the testee is practically a waste of time. At the moment, MMA has very little of that kind of testing, which is a problem that needs fixing.There are exceptions, of course. The Nevada State Athletic Commission reminded us of the effectiveness of random testing when it popped Overeem for elevated testosterone levels in a surprise test just a couple weeks ago. It’s exactly that sort of testing that commissions should be doing more of, even if they also have very valid reasons for why they aren’t.As NSAC executive director Keith Kizer explained to me this past February, it’s not just a financial issue."To me, it’s not the funding so much as the lack of other resources. We’re just one state. We’re one state, in one country, so obviously we’re going to have less ability than a national or international agency," Kizer said. "...Tell me who’s going to be fighting on the [UFC] card here [in Las Vegas] on July 7. I don’t think even Dana [White] and [UFC matchmaker] Joe [Silva] can tell me that right now."Just like White, Kizer has a point. Not all states have equal access to funds or necessary information, and they don’t feel they have the kind of ongoing jurisdiction over every fighter in MMA to effectively pull off random, out-of-competition drug testing. That makes some sense.But then, what are we supposed to do? Just give up? Throw our hands in the air and say that the testing is as good as it’s ever going to get? I guess that’s one option, but then what do we tell guys like UFC middleweight Brian Stann, who just this week told me he was glad to see the MMA media spotlighting the issue of performance-enhancing drugs in MMA."It’s frustrating for guys like me who are trying to do it completely clean when you know that there are guys out there cheating and finding a way to get away with it," Stann said. "To have your hopes and dreams stolen by someone who cheated, it’s not cool. And so what, even if they get caught afterwards, if you got knocked out by them? Every knockout in this sport knocks down your career another level, as far as how much more you can take. Fighters have mileage on us."If that doesn’t make you think twice about the importance of effective drug testing, it should. To the fighter who’s putting his brain and his dreams on the line when he steps into the cage, the argument that drug testing is just too difficult or too time-consuming doesn’t mean much. If we want guys like Stann to stay clean, don’t we owe it to them to crack down on the guys who aren’t? How do we look him in the eye and tell him that more could be done to keep him from getting hit in the head by an unfairly enhanced opponent, but man, it would really be inconvenient for us?To the UFC’s credit, it does more on this issue than any other promoter. It’s also the sport’s leader and standard-bearer, so that’s to be expected. White was right when he pointed out that there’s a reason no other promoter has been able to successfully do what he does."You know why?" he said. "Because this job is insane. It’s [expletive] crazy. I was standing in Las Vegas ten hours a guy filming a [expletive] TV show, and now I’m sitting here. And I’m going to randomly drug test 375 guys around the world. You know where I’m going in a few hours? To Abu Dhabi. Then I go back and film ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ then I go to Atlanta, Miami, and I’m in Rio de Janeiro for three hours, then back to Las Vegas where I’ll film ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ again. And in between there somewhere I’m going to randomly drug test 375 [fighters]."The answer is no, he’s not, and I don’t think anyone is suggesting that he personally take that on himself, just like he doesn’t personally ensure that the Octagon is properly assembled for each event. White doesn’t have to convince any of us that he’s got a full schedule. We’ve all seen it in action. If I tried to run at the pace he does, I’d have died of a heart attack or complications from jet lag a long time ago. Then again, the old ‘Hey, I’m busy’ defense doesn’t fly with an issue as important as this one.For the record, I don’t think the UFC should be the one to administer random drug tests. For the same reasons that Marc Ratner is right to want to get out of the self-regulation racket, the UFC shouldn’t be responsible for being its own PED watchdog. That’s not fair to the fighters or to the UFC.But it’s clear that the athletic commission testing -- which ranges from pretty good in some states to might as well not even bother in many others -- isn’t enough. The UFC must realize that on some level. Otherwise, why would it do any of its own testing? Why wouldn’t it leave it entirely up to the commissions?The UFC has done a lot to address this issue -- more than it is legally required to, in fact. That doesn’t mean there isn’t still a lot of room for necessary improvement. I think we all understand that it’s difficult (though not impossible). We all understand that there are several good reasons why it isn’t happening right now. But who said it was supposed to be easy? Either this matters to us or it doesn’t. And if it matters, then we should find a way to do it, even when it’s hard.

Posted in: ufc, guy, drug, testing, itrsquo

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Posted in: killzy, drug, drug testing, testing, fing sport

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Posted in: alistair overeem, drug, drug test, flopfacefred, ‘ mma

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Embattled Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight number one contender Alistair Overeem, who put his UFC 146 headliner opposite Junior dos Santos in jeopardy after failing a pre-fight drug test, has finally broken his silence. But "Demolition Man" has (still) refused to address his upcoming hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), scheduled for April 24, 2012 in Las Vegas. Instead, Overeem broke down his gameplan for his championship fight against "Cigano," (still) scheduled for May 26 at "Sin City's" MGM Grand Garden Casino (until we hear otherwise). Perhaps "The Reem" knows something we don't? Check out the transcript from the Dutch striker (via Caged Insider), who was a guest on last night's edition of Spike TV's "MMA Uncensored Live," after the jump. "I am bigger, I am stronger, I am better in the stand-up and I'm better on the ground. So for me, I don't think about what he is going to do to me. I think about what I am going to do to him and I am only thinking about what I am going to do to him. I am going to be ready wherever the fight takes me. I do prefer to strike, I do prefer a knockout over a submission win but I'm going to be ready for anything ... I'm going to get this guy, I'm going to beat him. Nothing scares me about Junior dos Santos. Everything he's doing, I've seen it before. I'm not worried about it, I've experienced it all. There's no fear, there's only two things - trained and untrained and when I step into the Octagon on May 26 I'm going to be trained." Overeem's testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio came back a whopping 14:1 in last month's surprise drug test administered to a handful of UFC 146 heavyweights, but until Overeem has his hearing in front of the NSAC, no changes to the pay-per-view (PPV) line-up are expected. If at all. Until then, all we can do is speculate, but it sounds as if Overeem expects to compete next month in spite of all the controversy surrounding his failed drug test. And if he is indeed pulled from the main event, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir is more than happy to take his place. Stay tuned. Poll Will Overeem really compete after testing positive? No way, our sport has some morals... Yup, the Reem will slip by on stipulation or TRT exemption ruling Don't care. As Rogan puts it, everything is a 'performance enhancer'   119 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, overeem, drug, im, i step

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STOCKHOLM -- From somewhere behind his dark sunglasses on Thursday afternoon, Thiago Silva allowed himself just enough vulnerability to own up to what he’d done and seek forgiveness. It has, after all, been a year and change since he was suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for submitting a drug test sample that was "not consistent with human urine." That’s a long time to think about his mistakes, and to come to terms with the fact that he made a few along the way to the one big one."What I learned from that is really hard to explain," Silva told MMA Fighting following Thursday’s pre-fight press conference to promote his main event bout with Alexander Gustafsson at the UFC on FUEL TV 2 event this Saturday night. "Everybody makes mistakes. I made my mistake, and I just tried to put everything away and move forward and train right. I just learned again how [to] train right...how to put my body to work."The question is, has the Brazilian light heavyweight learned this lesson too late? The struggle with the back problems is at least something most people can sympathize with. The injury kept him out almost exactly a year after his decision loss to Rashad Evans, and he said he couldn’t bear to think that it might also knock him out of the UFC 125 tilt with Brandon Vera.So Silva took a shortcut. He admitted to taking "injections in my back and spine" that would allow him to stay in the fight, and then attempting to hide that substances in his NSAC-mandated drug test. He paid the price with a year-long suspension. Now, a little over 16 months since his last time in the Octagon, he gets the unenviable task of taking on a hot young prospect in front of what is likely to be an unfriendly crowd at Sweden’s first UFC event.Whether it’s a welcome back part or a set-up all depends on who you ask, but Silva remains unsurprisingly adamant that neither the layoff nor the location of the fight will play any role in its outcome."Everything is about your mentality," he said. "I think like, he can have the whole country behind him, screaming his name, but inside the cage it’s just me and you."And his back problems? Those are all gone now, he insisted. Even in a 12-week camp, he claimed it never became an issue. "Right now, I’m 100 percent healthy," Silva said.Then again, what else is he supposed to say? Before the fight, everyone is healthy. No one thinks ring rust or a hometown crowd will be a factor. It’s only afterward that the tunes seem to change.For Silva, however, there’s more at stake here than just a win or a loss. There’s the issue of image rehabilitation, of getting back to where he was before this rough stretch that started with a loss to future champ Lyoto Machida and eventually led to a victory overturned thanks to a faulty drug test. Whether fans are quite as eager as Silva is to put it behind him remains to be seen., but he knows it probably won’t happen overnight."It’s really hard, because it’s not my decision," he said. "It’s up to them. I’m here to do my job. I’m sure the fans, they’re going to understand."And sure, sometimes that’s how it works. Just don’t count on it being these fans, in this city.

Posted in: ufc, silva, drug, mistake, itrsquo

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Ross Goodman, the attorney of UFC Welterweight contender Nick Diaz, has filed a new complaint letter with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Diaz has been suspended since UFC 143 when he failed a post-fight drug test after losing a decision to Carlos Condit in an interim title bout. Goodman's new claim is response to an allegation by the NSAC that lied on his pre-fight questionnaire (pdf), by not listing marijuana as a prescription drug he was using and checking "no" on a box asking about prescription drug use. Diaz has a doctor's recommendation that he use medical marijuana to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Medical marijuana is legal in Nevada and California. Goodman further claims that the NSAC complaint "does not allege any facts supporting that Diaz violated a rule"and that "after the fact allegations impugning Diaz's character serve to distract from the core issue that Nevada does not prohibit inactive marijuana metabolites." More On Nick Diaz Nevada Rebukes Nick Diaz Suspension Defense, Claims He Lied On Pre-Fight Questionnaire Nick Diaz Hires Lawyer, Challenges Suspension | Nevada Temporarily Suspends Diaz' License, Open To Medicinal Marijuana Request | NSAC Explains Nick Diaz Could Have (But Didn't) Requested Exemption For Marijuana Use | Nick Diaz' Coach Shocked By Drug Test Failure | No Disciplinary Sanction Warranted For Nick Diaz Under A Principled Interpretation Of NAC 467.850 | In Defense of Diaz's Weed Habit | Diaz Is to Blame, But So Are Meaningless Marijuana Tests | Diaz Should Be Released By The UFC | Diaz' Drug Test Failure Was Inevitable |White: 'I Am Beyond Disappointed' | Fighters React to Diaz's Positive Drug Test | Nick Diaz Tests Positive For Marijuana That means that the presence of inactive marijuana metabolites does not indicate marijuana use immediately prior to competition -- ie there is no evidence that Diaz fought stoned. This line of argument was first publicly raised by Vancouver Athletic Commission member Jonathan Tweedale here at Bloody Elbow. Goodman also contends that his client's drug use should be considered "out of competition" as it was stopped eight days before for the fight and that marijuana metabolites do not qualify as "drugs of abuse" -- nor are they listed as a prohibited substance. Goodman's complete response to the Nevada State Athletic Commission is here. (PDF)

Posted in: diaz, nick, drug, marijuana, nevada

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Performance enhancing drugs (PED) and the fighters who use them have been hot topics in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world, of late. Alistair Overeem's latest positive test and the drama that has ensued was the topic of discussion on FUEL TV's "UFC Tonight." Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight lightweight featherweight lightweight fighter (and now the co-host of "UFC Tonight") Kenny Florian wants everyone to know that he was a clean fighter who did things the right way. He also wants everyone to know how passionately he disapproves of those who have traveled the more unsavory road of using performance enhancing drugs. "As a clean fighter, the whole issue of performance enhancing drugs (PED) in MMA really pisses me off. This sport is about honor, technique and discipline. When did it become about who uses the better PED's and who can pass the test better than the other guy? PED's allow you to train harder, longer and recover faster. It absolutely gives a user a competitive advantage. This isn't baseball, where you're just hitting a ball. This is fighting. You're hitting other people in the face. As a fighter, if you use PED's, how does it feel good knowing that you won using them? The fans should be upset too. How many fights are the fans gonna miss out on due to pre and post-fight testing? Don't do it, dummies. Random testing needs to be the remedy. This is gonna be the only way to crack down on cheaters in the longterm." He's all for random drug testing, but his fellow fighters may not be so quick to join in that particular chorus. Check out the video of Florian's rant after the jump: Who's taking Florian's side in this debate?

Posted in: fighter, drug, performance, ped, drugs ped

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It's been the better part of a week since the Nevada State Athletic Commission reported that the UFC's #1 Heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem had failed a surprise drug test after a press conference for UFC 146. Despite the near-universal condemnation of fans and the clamor for the UFC to book Mark Hunt to face champion Junior dos Santos, the promotion has been somewhat suspiciously quiet about their plans for the bout. Michael Schiavello points out that Overeem's test results are not necessarily a smoking gun: "You know, while we're talking about the subject, Kenny, I just wanna chime in here on a couple things that have been playing on my mind, the last week or so, since the news of Alistair (Overeem) broke. Alistair doesn't have a license with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), so how are they testing him in the first place when he doesn't have a license with them? By what jurisdiction are they testing him? And ‘B,' everyone seems to be hanging Alistair out to dry. They've been nailing him to the cross and crucifying him, but it's still two months away from his fight. You know, he hasn't technically cheated. Because, unless he pisses hot on the fight night, how could he possibly have cheated? There's still an opportunity he can get from the 14:1 down to the allowed 6:1 level by fight time. But we're calling him out as a cheat, two months out from a fight?" Could it be that's because they think that Overeem could actually still be licensed for the bout? Bas Rutten was the first to hint that something might be happening, on Twitter: @BasRuttenMMAI hear we still might c the JDS/Overeem fight? Haha, awesome. Let me get more info Zach Arnold breaks down Overeem's current situation: Overeem was supposed to take a drug test in order to get approved for a fighter's license to fight Brock Lesnar on 12/30/11. Overeem missed the drug test, claiming he had to fly to Holland to attend to his sick mother. The Nevada commission granted Overeem a ‘temporary' conditional license to fight Lesnar on December 30th based on the premise that he would be subjected to random urine drug testing and that he would have to go to London to take a drug test immediately so that Quest Diagnostics could examine the sample. Overeem fights Lesnar and wins. He passed the pre-fight and post-fight urine drug tests. His ‘temporary' license expires after December 31st, 2011. Overeem is still stuck in ‘conditional' limbo for licensing and has to continue passing drug tests in order to fight Junior dos Santos on May 26th even though Overeem isn't truly ‘officially' licensed. Overeem fails the ‘random' urine drug test due to elevated levels of testosterone at an estimated 14:1 T/E ratio. Because he's not ‘officially' licensed, he can't be suspended by Nevada but he can't be officially licensed until he applies for a license on April 24th. Larry Pepe makes a more detailed case outlining some of these same arguments. We'll look at that after the jump. Related Stories Dan Henderson Would Fight Dos Santos If Offered Bout | Dana White Says Frank Mir Vs. Cain Velasquez 'Will Happen' | Junior Dos Santos Responds To Overeem Results |Fans Clamoring For Fedor Or Mark Hunt Vs. Junior Dos Santos | Alistair Overeem's T/E Ratio 14:1 | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Mir Ready To Step In For Overeem | Overeem's Win Over Lesnar Should Be Overturned, But It Won't Be | Drug Issues Taint Strikeforce Legacy | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test |Who Will Face Dos Santos? | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference More SBN coverage of UFC 146 Pepe writes at MMA Mania and first he dispenses with the "you can't suspend him, he's not licensed argument: For those who argue that the NSAC had no jurisdiction to test Overeem because the conditional license he was granted at UFC 141 expired on Dec. 31, 2012 (one-day after the event), thanks for playing, but I wouldn't hang my future on that argument. While the conditional license granted for UFC 141 expired, the agreement to the subsequent drug tests over the next six months did not. But he does think there might be something to the Therapeutic Use Exemption angle: An application for a TUE need only be submitted to the NSAC early enough for the commission to have a reasonable period of time to evaluate the request. A prudent fighter would probably submit all the appropriate paperwork and medicals a few weeks before the fight, but even the most diligent would be highly unlikely to provide the info two months before. Accordingly, a fighter could fail the out of competition test because he had not already applied for or been granted a TUE, but appeal such failure on the basis that he had a medical reason to be on the drug in question (in this case testosterone) and that he had not applied for the TUE because the commission's own guidelines do not mandate that the application had to be submitted at the present time. Further, I expect that Team Overeem will show up in Nevada on the 24th with medical records, doctor verification and further testing in hand. What kind of testing? Blood testosterone level testing. T/E ratio only shows that synthetic testosterone has been used, thereby upsetting the naturally occurring 1:1 balance that is normal for most. But it doesn't tell you how much ACTUAL testosterone is coursing through the athlete's bloodstream -- only that all the testosterone in their blood wasn't provided by Mom and Dad but was increased through unnatural methods. Overeem could argue, unlike Nate Marquardt's situation at UFC on Versus, that the actual amount of testosterone in his system as shown by a blood test is well within normal limits and therefore not performance enhancing at all. The closer the dates of those blood tests are to the date of his T/E Ratio failure (March 27) the more appealing the argument is from a public relations standpoint. For example, the Reem might walk in on the 24th and say "I was prescribed testosterone by my doctor when he discovered that I had low testosterone and we were sure to keep track of my levels and keep them in normal ranges. I fully intended to disclose my usage to the commission when I applied for my license and submitted an application for a Therapeutic Use Exemption, all of which I am prepared to discuss today." If Overeem can manage to get licensed the UFC will have truly dodged a bullet but one has to wonder what the rampant use of TRT does to the credibility of the Athletic Commissions.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, test, drug, testosterone

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Just say no. That's the advice most teenagers are given when drug and alcohol education is handed out, as if it's that easy. There are so many factors that influence decision making that we're still only scratching the surface, and to see drug consumption as a simple black and white choice is as ignorant as it is dangerous. We see fighters as super men, idols who almost transcend mortality but the truth is, this only exacerbates the PED issue in MMA. As well as competitive pressure and that which comes from having to win to continually support a family, fighters also have to contend with the stress of training through and competing with almost incessant injuries so that they don't let the fans down. I don't know about you but for me, there's only so much that pride can stop the temptation of painkillers before the choice to sink some aspirin vastly outweighs the choice not to. I have no idea how anyone could condone the use of performance enhancing drugs but we at least need to be aware of the factors surrounding their use in MMA. Let us know what you think about PED use in MMA in the comments below after watching this video of Kenny Florian giving his opinon on PED users.

Posted in: mma, drug, kenny florian, use, ped

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Former UFC light- and featherweight title challenger and Ultimate Fighter season 1 veteran Kenny Florian comes out tonight with a powerful condemnation of the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) on UFC Tonight in the video above. Florian's statement follows: "As a clean fighter this really pisses me off. This sport is about honor, technique and discipline. When did it become about who has the better PEDs or who can pass the tests better. PEDs allow you to train longer, harder and recover faster. They absolutely give you an advantage. This isn't baseball where you're hitting balls. This is fighting and you're hitting another person in the face. As a fighter how do you feel good knowing that you won using them. The fans should be mad too. How many fights are we going to miss out on due to failed pre and post fight testing? Don't do it dummies. Random testing needs to be the remedy. This is going to be one of the only ways we'll crack down on cheaters in the long term." Florian didn't name names but Alistair Overeem's recent failure of a pre-fight drug test in Nevada is the obvious point of reference here. Related Stories Dan Henderson Would Fight Dos Santos If Offered Bout | Dana White Says Frank Mir Vs. Cain Velasquez 'Will Happen' | Junior Dos Santos Responds To Overeem Results |Fans Clamoring For Fedor Or Mark Hunt Vs. Junior Dos Santos | Alistair Overeem's T/E Ratio 14:1 | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Mir Ready To Step In For Overeem | Overeem's Win Over Lesnar Should Be Overturned, But It Won't Be | Drug Issues Taint Strikeforce Legacy | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test |Who Will Face Dos Santos? | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference

Posted in: ufc, overeem, do, drug, ped

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Kenny Florian prides himself on being a clean fighter who has never tested positive for anything illegal during his career. While his fighting career is currently on hold due to an injury suffered in training, Florian has remained part of the UFC as an analyst on “UFC Tonight” and a color commentator for live events. During Tuesday’s edition of “UFC Tonight,” Florian was asked his take on those fighters that use performance enhancing drugs in the sport. As a clean fighter, the whole issue of performance enhancing drugs in MMA really pisses me off. This sport is about honor, technique and discipline. As a fighter, if you use PEDs, how does it feel good knowing that you won using them? Don’t do it, dummies! Alistair Overeem, the current No. 1 contender to the UFC heavyweight title, has come under fire for failing a drug test for elevated levels of testosterone. Overeem, however, isn’t the only fighter to receive a suspension for failing a drug test, as the whole situation seems to be causing a dark cloud to form over MMA as a whole. Hopefully, fighters will realize that they are hurting themselves, their friends and their profession by doing these illegal things and start taking better care of the situation by not doing it. What do you guys think? Should there be stiffer punishments for those that test positive?

Posted in: ufc, fighter, florian, drug, drug test

Read the full article at MMA Convert

If the subject of performance enhancing drugs comes up around former UFC title contender Kenny Florian, don't expect a friendly response.

Posted in: florian, drug, performance, kenny florian, use performance

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When sports fans hear the name Victor Conte, two things typically come to mind: Steroids and Barry Bonds. Founder of the infamous Bay Area Co-Operative (BALCO) sports nutrition center in Burlingame, Calif., which is where the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) claimed the company created an undetectable designer steroid known as "The Clear" (tetrahydrogestrinone), Conte has been linked to supplying performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) to several major sports stars. In particular, the NFL's Bill Romanowski, track and field standouts Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery and the aforementioned Barry Bonds, among others. After the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) found all the evidence it needed to confirm the company's link to illegal steroids and growth hormones in 2003 after a raid of BALCO headquarters, which had a list of clients that included some the previously mentioned names, Conte was sentenced to four months in prison and four months of house arrest after entering guilty pleas for conspiracy to distribute steroids in 2005. Now, the same man who once supplied some of the biggest names in sports with all the PED's their bodies could handle, is doing a 180-degree about-face, looking to clean sports of all banned drugs. And in his crosshairs is none other than the fast rising one of them all, mixed martial arts (MMA). Appearing on "The MMA Hour" today (April 9, 2012), Conte says sports commissions and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) organization can do more to clean up the sport of all banned substances, as well as gives his opinions on the recent positive test of Alistair Overeem. Check it out: "I believe that they could do more. And listen, Dana White's a very smart man. [NSAC executive director] Keith Kizer's a very smart man, and he's an attorney. But the logic for argument that they present in this particular situation just does not fly. There are options available. Is it ever going to be perfect, is it ever going to be fool-proof? The answer is, 'no.' But, can it be much more effective, and can the use of [testosterone-replacement therapy] and other anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs, can the rampant use be significantly reduced? I believe it can and I believe there's some simple answers. I respect Keith Kizer. I think he's trying to do the best that he can. It's a very difficult situation, because they have a lack of funding. But, I think the UFC could contribute a certain portion to this, and I think it can be much better than it is now. When Dana says, ‘We have the most regulated testing on the planet,' I think it's a joke for him to say that. It reminds me of when Bud Selig, years back, said that baseball had the toughest anti-doping program in American sports. I think both of them know that what they're saying is simply not true. The Nevada commission's testing is weak, okay? It is not effective. VADA (Voluntary Anti- Doping Agency) is a much better option. USADA, I think, is too expensive for what they do. ...The point I'm trying to make is there are some steps that can be taken, that are cost-effective, that would significantly reduce the use of PEDs in the UFC. I would like to see Dana White take those steps." When asked what he thought of the recent positive drug test turned in by UFC 146 co-headliner Alistair Overeem, he had this to say: "It doesn't surprise me. He probably knows that it will be confirmed. He knows whether he was doing testosterone or not. At a level of 14/1, you do see some up like Kizer said, maybe 5 or 5.2, there have been some cases where there's been up in the eights and nines and tens, and I think there's even been a natural at 13. But he's (Overeem) the only one that knows whether he was using or not. My opinion, and that's all it is, is that he's as guilty as a three-dollar bill." His opinion on the overall percentage of athletes in the UFC he feels are on PED's: "Do I believe that 90 percent are using some sort of performance enhancing drugs in the UFC? I do. But there are those that do not and I think that number is going to grow over time if they realize the testing is very weak. Staggering projected number to say the least. Of course, that is only Conte's opinion and not a proven fact. For one, "The Reem" will have his day to prove his innocence, or try his hardest at doing so, on April 24, 2012, when he is scheduled to appear before Keith Kizer and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to give his explanation behind his astounding testosterone ratio, and see whether or not he will indeed be granted a license to compete at UFC 146 opposite Junior dos Santos on Memorial Day Weekend (May 26, 2012). How about it Maniacs, what is your take on the fact that one of the most talked about names in illegal drug distribution to sports stars is now looking to clean up the sports we love? Conte has danced on the dark side in the past, could it be possible that having someone with so much intelligence in the field be a positive (no pun intended) asset to cracking down on MMA's war on performance enhancing drugs moving forward? Opinions, please.

Posted in: ufc, sport, drug, he, conte

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Unless you were under a rock, you know UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem failed his latest drug test. There's been a lot of fallout, so check out our Overeem round-up.

Posted in: overeem, alistair, test, drug, roundup

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With Alistair Overeem having failed a drug test that has put the UFC 146 main event heavyweight championship fight on May 26 in jeopardy, the topic of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) in mixed martial arts (MMA) is right back at the forefront of conversation. Middleweight contender Mark Munoz weighs in on the topic: "It's cheating. I think it's cheating. I think anything that's synthetic that you put in your body is cheating. Get it from food, get it from training. That stuff jacks you up when you're done. For me, I'm a family man, I have kids, I have a wife and I want to be there for them at the end. I think when you take PEDs or anything like that, it cuts your life short. When it becomes like that, it's almost hedonistic. It's not a sport anymore. It becomes more than a sport and it shouldn't be like that. There's more important things in your life than that. I frown upon that, I don't like to ever see it but the truth is it is present. You can't hide it because it comes out. But then again I can stand in front of you 100-percent saying that I've never taken a drug in my life. And I'm going to keep doing that, and I'm going to win like that. If people think I'm on drugs or PEDs or whatever, come train with me. I'll show you my drugs. There's no substitution for hard work." What are your thoughts, Maniacs?

Posted in: drug, im, cheating, ped, cheating i

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Chael Sonnen, is one of the most colorful guys in MMA, and when he heard the news about Alistair Overeem's failed drug test, he didn't let that opportunity pass. The top middleweight contender tweeted: @sonnenchchael sonnen I'm shocked.. Has the body fat of a tooth brush, looks like the guy on STREET FIGHTER. My mind is blown, just blown. Apr 05 via web Favorite Retweet Reply It's pretty funny I have to admit, and these are the things I like about the guy. It is also a bit ironic though, cause Sonnen actually had a higher Testosterone - Estrogen ratio when he got busted and suspended the last time. More Coverage on Alistair Overeem's failed drug test Junior Dos Santos Responds To Overeem Results |Fans Clamoring For Fedor Or Mark Hunt Vs. Junior Dos Santos | Alistair Overeem's T/E Ratio 14:1 | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Mir Ready To Step In For Overeem | Overeem's Win Over Lesnar Should Be Overturned, But It Won't Be | Drug Issues Taint Strikeforce Legacy | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test |Who Will Face Dos Santos? | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference

Posted in: overeem, test, drug, drug test, alistair overeems

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

And we're back. After a spring sabbatical to vacation and what not, Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting and I, Nate Wilcox of Bloody Elbow, are back for another installment of MMA Tete-A-Tete, Coarsening The Discourse. Related Stories Junior Dos Santos Responds To Overeem Results |Fans Clamoring For Fedor Or Mark Hunt Vs. Junior Dos Santos | Alistair Overeem's T/E Ratio 14:1 | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Mir Ready To Step In For Overeem | Overeem's Win Over Lesnar Should Be Overturned, But It Won't Be | Drug Issues Taint Strikeforce Legacy | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test |Who Will Face Dos Santos? | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference On this edition we discuss the impact of UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem 's positive drug test for elevated levels of testosterone, the bizarre video made by former UFC light heavyweight Quinton "Rampage" Jackson where he uses attempted rape as a conduit for humor and former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar's return to the world of professional wrestling. Enjoy!

Posted in: ufc, overeem, test, drug, drug test

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

There could be a "huge" change in the line-up for the upcoming UFC 146 main event, scheduled for the MGM Grand Garden Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012. That's because Alistair Overeem, who was expected to challenge UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos in the "Sin City" headliner live on pay-per-view (PPV), has yet to be licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) after failing his pre-fight drug test. And Junior dos Santos called it. Well, sort of. If we run it back to April of 2011, "Cigano," who recently went on record to declare himself "clean," was awestruck by how "huge" his heavyweight counterparts were, including former division champion Brock Lesnar and of course, "Demolition Man," who was wearing 265-pounds of gold under the Strikeforce banner. Here's what he told UFC Sem Limites about the performance-enhancing drug (PED) abuse in his weight class while hyping his upcoming coaching duties on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13: "No I've never seen (someone taking performance-enhancing drugs [PEDs]), but I think at Heavyweight that happens a lot for sure. When you see people like Alistair Overeem, Brock Lesnar, look at the size of those guys, they're really big. As Mario (Yamasaki) said, a lot of people use them but a lot of people don't. I'm someone who has never used (PEDs), I think I came in the good phase of MMA and I've never used them." There are no secrets in mixed martial arts (MMA) and when "The Reem" got word of the Brazilian's "nice comment," he threatened to exact revenge at a later date. See what he told the MMA Fight Corner after the jump. "Cain Velasquez (is who I want to fight the most). And why? Because he is the UFC champion, and believe you me when the tournament is over, I'll be coming for him. And after I'm done with him, we're gonna go after dos Santos for his nice comment." The Overeem War Wagon lost one of its wheels in the middle of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. After a lackluster win over Fabricio Werdum last June, the Dutch striker balked at ZUFFA's proposed timeline for his next fight, then withdrew from the tournament altogether with a mysterious toe injury. It was not the first time Overeem bailed on a stateside fight, either, blowing off a potential showdown with Brett Rogers in 2009 because of a cut sustained during a bar fight in Amsterdam. And let's not forget that whole drug test fiasco that resulted in a conditional license prior to his participation at UFC 141 last December. In short, it's been a rocky road for Overeem and producing a drug test result with a staggering testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio of 14:1 only serves to reinforce Junior's previous suspicions. All that stands in the way of pitchforks and torches is Alistair's "B" sample, but in order to do that, he must first come forward and ask to have it tested. Overeem ... Overeem ... Bueller ...

Posted in: ufc, fight, overeem, heavyweight, drug

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If you’re like me, you were really looking forward to the Overeem vs. Dos Santos fight at UFC 146. Heck, a part of me still wants to see Overeem fight Dos Santos, so hopefully he was smart and got one of thoseprescription thingies before he rode the needle. If you’re looking for that “really expensive champagne room with no handjob” experience, NickTheFace (whose trailers are some of the best out there in any sport) has you covered with an awesome Overeem vs. Dos Santos trailer.The knockout highlights... the musical smoothness of a canned “synthesizer and synthesized piano” track... the jump ropes... it all convinces me further that I really want to see this fight. Even the quotes from the fighters are compelling, even if they turn into parodies of themselves: Overeem is “excited to be fighting for the title,” and Dos Santos thinks that “If you are a good person, things happen.”Unfortunately, if you are an asshole, things happen too. And make no mistake about it, Overeem REALLY looks like an asshole in retrospect for the whole drug testing issue before the Lesnar fight. Amazingly few people were suspicious at the time about why Overeem took a month to render a sample when he was supposed to do it within a day. Overeem couldn’t be bothered, they all said; you have to go through his management, he fled the country to be with his sick mother, and he can’t speak English anyway. Now that we know the truth, we are forced to cope with the fact that he was using his mother’s cancer as a prop to avoid being drug tested. Stay classy, Al!I was so convinced that Overeem was clean that this has upset my entire worldview. Now I see little choice but to give up on hard work and dedication in favor of drugs and more drugs. That seems to be the only way to get ahead these days. Maybe if I start doing lots of meth, I’ll stop sleeping and therefore earn more money...

Posted in: fight, overeem, do, drug, “ synthesizer

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UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will defend his title at UFC 146 according to a report from the Associated Press. Dos Santos, who took the belt from Cain Velasquez last November at UFC on Fox, had been scheduled to face Alistair Overeem. That fight was apparently scotched when Overeem failed a 'surprise' drug test after a press conference in Las Vegas. No official action has been taken, but as Overeem wasn't licensed in Nevada it seems exceedingly unlikely that the Nevada State Athletic Commission will extend that privilege to him now that he's tested over the limit for Testosterone. Related Stories Junior Dos Santos Responds To Overeem Results | Fans Clamoring For Fedor Or Mark Hunt Vs. Junior Dos Santos | Alistair Overeem's T/E Ratio 14:1 | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Mir Ready To Step In For Overeem | Overeem's Win Over Lesnar Should Be Overturned, But It Won't Be | Drug Issues Taint Strikeforce Legacy | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test |Who Will Face Dos Santos? | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference Fans are clamoring for the UFC to bring in former Pride champion Fedor Emelianenko or to give Mark Hunt a chance to play 'Rocky' but it seems most likely that Frank Mir will get the title shot. Mir is riding a three-fight win streak, including a dramatic come-from-behind win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 140. More SBN coverage of UFC 146

Posted in: ufc, overeem, dana, do, drug

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

After disappointing so many fans with his failed drug test, Alistair Overeem's next big fight will be to save his reputation.

Posted in: ufc, fight, overeem, drug, ufc overeems

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

While some MMA fans might be shocked with Alistair Overeem's failed drug screen ("The Demolition man" and five other UFC heavyweights were issued a surprise drug screen after a March 27 press conference), most already had their suspicions.

Posted in: demolition man, drug, mma fans, ufc heavyweights, alistair overeems

Read the full article at Yahoo! Sports

TORONTO - Heavyweight Alistair Overeem's failed drug test showed a 14-1 testosterone-epitestosterone ratio, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Posted in: overeem, test, drug, nevada state, drug test

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Heavyweight Alistair Overeem's failed drug test showed a highly-inflated 14-1 testosterone-epitestosterone ratio.

Posted in: overeem, test, drug, drug test, ratio

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

When the Nevada State Athletic Commission released the news yesterday that Alistair Overeem, the UFC's #1 contender at Heavyweight, had failed a surprise drug test administered after a UFC 146 press conference, predictably the pundits hit the fan. The UFC and mixed martial arts as a whole have been struggling with how to deal with performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) for some time. Generally the UFC's answer has been to defer to the state athletic commissions that monitor the sport in many, but not all jurisdictions. UFC president Dana White's comments from March 27 are representative:"We've got 375 guys under contract. We're doing a zillion fights a year. We're traveling all over the world, and all these other things we're doing. Now, do you really think we can really crack [expletive] down and chase these guys around everywhere they live, all over the world, and just randomly test these guys all the time? On top of all the other things we're doing? "You really have to sit back and think and use a little bit of reality." With Overeem's high profile failure, many pundits are saying the UFC's existing approach is no longer adequate. Related Stories Overeem's UFC 141 Win Over Lesnar Should Be Overturned, But It Won't Be | Drug Issues Taint Strikeforce Legacy Post-Zuffa Purchase | Dana White Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test | Who Will Face Junior Dos Santos? | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference Here's what Yahoo! writer Kevin Iole, one of the most respected voices in the combat sports media, has to say: But if any good comes of Overeem's testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio testing well above normal limits, it would be that it may spur the UFC to take a serious look at bolstering its drug program....The solution is one that White has resisted embracing. It's to implement a comprehensive policy that includes random unannounced testing on each fighter at least twice a year run by an accredited agency. Dr. Margaret Goodman, a Las Vegas neurologist and the former chairwoman of the medical advisory board of the Nevada Athletic Commission, founded a company called the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. She said a program that would test all of the fighters under contract to White and Fertitta twice a year would cost between $1 million and $1.5 million a year. Other pundits have a different take. We'll hear from them after the jump. More SBN coverage of UFC 146 SI's Josh Gross has a more punitive proposition: If Overeem is indeed guilty of what's been accused, the UFC should do to him what they needed to do to (Thiago) Silva and others of this ilk. Use is rampant and the only thing that will shake fighters out of feeling like a.) it's OK to do or b.) they have to in order to compete, is alter the perception that taking this stuff is how business is done. You do that by shaking the earth, rattling the status quo. Use, get caught, bye bye. It shouldn't matter who you are or what you've accomplished. Absent that, this garbage will persist until, eventually, lasting repercussions for the sport, for the UFC, for fighters take hold. Something not so trivial as losing out on seeing the UFC heavyweight titleholder claim the MMA linear title, which was up for grabs when Overeem was set to meet dos Santos.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, fighter, test, drug

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Speak now or forever hold your peace. It's been a rough couple of months for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight number one contender Alistair Overeem, who was sued by his former management team, charged for bitch-slapping a casino patron and popped for elevated testosterone levels. The lone bright spot for the embattled Dutch striker was his technical knockout victory at UFC 141 last December, one that sent former division champion Brock Lesnar into retirement back to the WWE. His latest transgression, which came on the heels of a surprise drug test administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) -- and targeted a handful of competitors expected to compete at the UFC 146 pay-per-view (PPV) event on May 26 in Las Vegas -- flunked him for elevated levels of testosterone. But there's still hope, as NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer explains to MMA Fighting, but Overeem must first respond to the commission's findings in order to go to "Plan B." "Like with any drug test, if the B-sample comes back negative, then that trumps the A-sample, and he'd be eligible for licensure immediately. But if it comes back positive, or if he doesn't ask for it to be tested, that's something that can be used for grounds for denial. But that will be up to the commissioners." It's been said that "no news is good news," but that doesn't apply here. Until "Demolition Man" responds to the NSAC, his UFC 146 title fight against Junior dos Santos is on hold. That means UFC President Dana White and promotion matchmaker Joe Silva must now scramble to find a replacement should the worst-case scenario unfold. Most of the usual suspects are getting their names thrown into the hat, including Frank Mir, who already competes on the "Sin City" card this May, as well as Fabricio Werdum and Shane Carwin. One writer (with a long history of head trauma) has suggested a surprise addition of famed Russian "Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko. Until "The Reem" comes forward and asks to see his "B" sample, all we can do is speculate, but time is not on his side, as the UFC 146 card is just around the corner. Tick...tick...tick...

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, drug test, nsac

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Man, Strikeforce is making a hell of an accounting of itself these days, isn't it? As I read the news Wednesday about Alistair Overeem's drug test failure, it set in just how bad a few months it's been for some of the top Strikeforce talent that either moved over to the UFC or that were among their top remaining stars. While the WEC transplants have exceeded expectations, its uglier cousin via acquisition hasn't exactly done the Zuffa bosses proud. Here's a few highlights: Alistair Overeem I'm not sure what else to say on this whole mess other than I'm glad people didn't pretend to be surprised. The debacle Overeem took the Nevada State Athletic Commission through before his December bout with Brock Lesnar should have been foreshadowing, but apparently Overeem thought he could beat the law -- even when he knew he would be randomly tested as part of his December agreement. Dana White is mad and justifiably so. Putting aside the comments about lying to his face, White now has to shuffle around the upper part of UFC 146 and may have lost a potential big star in the process. Not only did he lose Lesnar to retirement, but the other half of the equation could be out for a very long time too? That's the ultimate lose-lose. "King" Mo Lawal I understand there's been a strong sympathy play since Lawal was released from his Zuffa contract last week following his own positive drug test suspension and subsequent social media outburst, but when you're not fully over as a star to the mainstream MMA fan, you lose protection privileges. For Lawal, it's been a horrendous few months with his myriad of medical issues and the loss of an opportunity to keep building up his star power in an organization that desperately needs it. The smart money is that he'll eventually get a shot again, but he's out for most of this year and at age 31, the clock is ticking at how much of an impact player he'll be upon his return. Cris "Cyborg" Santos The now former and likely final 145-pound women's champion is awaiting her April 9th hearing to appeal her drug test failure. (Note a recurring theme, anyone?) Women's MMA needs all the help it can get and having one of its most notable fighters on the shelf for a long, long time is a killer, likely eliminating the division from Strikeforce altogether. There's still some semblance of money to be made from a Santos/Ronda Rousey fight but that's a long way off, if it ever happens. Nick Diaz Ah, Mr. Diaz. Is there anything else to say at this point about him? He had two fights since being brought back to the UFC and is now out indefinitely after testing positive for marijuana metabolites, putting one of the biggest money fights the promotion has on ice. He awaits a May hearing and is already preparing his defense, while getting ready to hit the competitive BJJ mats again. I understand that not every Strikeforce fighter can be painted with the same brush and that for every Diaz, there's a Dan Henderson and for every Lawal, there's a Cung Le. But given Overeem's situation exploding on Wednesday, it's pretty incredible to look at the consistency of various drug related issues with some of Strikeforce's biggest names.

Posted in: overeem, strikeforce, drug, lawal, there

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Failing a random drug test before a title fight is one thing. They're random for a reason. But failing a random drug test before a title fight, when you know you're going to be randomly drug tested is something else entirely. That's why this is so ridiculous. Alistair Overeem knew exactly when he was going to be tested. When you miss a commission ordered pre-fight test, then ignore the commission and submit an invalid blood test to your personal doctor in a different country, and somehow come out smelling like roses with the only caveat being, "two random drug tests in the next six months," how does that go wrong? It's baffling. There's still a process here, and there's still an outside chance of a testing mistake, so holster the pitchforks for now. But seriously? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results; there's a word for that. 5 MUST-READ STORIES Alistair Overeem fails UFC 146 pre-fight drug test. UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem failed a pre-fight drug test, casting his UFC 146 title bout against Junior dos Santos in doubt. NSAC yet to hear from Overeem's camp. According to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer, the commission has yet to hear from Overeem's representation regarding the testing of a "B" sample. Frank Mir would be 'excited' to replace Alistair Overeem. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir offered his services in the event that Alistair Overeem is forced to withdraw from his title bout against Junior dos Santos at UFC 146. The MMA (after) hour. Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal spoke about reaching out to the Nevada State Athletic Commission's Pat Lundvall to apologize, his current relationship with Zuffa, the offers he has received from other organizations, whether he will go to WWE, and when he expects to fight again. Brock Lesnar WWE contract details. Former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar reportedly inked a one-year, $5 million contract for his return to the world of professional wrestling. MEDIA STEW Just watch this and think about how crazy Overeem vs. dos Santos would have been. So a lot of you out there probably think you're huge Nick Diaz fans. Well, how does it feel to know that no matter what, you're never going to be a bigger Nick Diaz fan than this guy? (HT: Middle Easy) How to describe this video? Let's see, Tim Kennedy frolics around in a Katy Perry wig while belting out "Part of Me." Then he tearfully cuts off his hair and dances out his worries in a field of flowers. Yup, actually that sounds about right. First thought when seeing this Steven Seagal commercial: utter confusion at the ponytail. Second thought: disappointment at lack of front kicks. (HT: Reddit) Pat Curran knows how real men pump their gas. (HT: Middle Easy) OVEREEM DID WHAT? Surprise, surprise...RT @Rweetherley: @SMOOTHone155 What do you think about Overeem testing positive? — Benson Henderson (@SMOOTHone155) April 5, 2012 yea! just found via internet that I PASSED MY DRUG TEST! It was close but I passed. #Nodoubts @ufc @danawhite — Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) April 4, 2012 I'm shocked.. Has the body fat of a tooth brush, looks like the guy on STREETFIGHTER. My mind is blown, just blown. — chael sonnen (@sonnench) April 5, 2012 "It wasn't me, it was the horses, I swear!" - Alistair Overeem — Joe Duarte (@JoeDuarteMMA) April 5, 2012 KING MO MAKES NICE Commissioner Lundvall, thank you for accepting my apology. After talking on the phone with her...i seen that she is really coo as hell!!! — King Mo (@KingMoFH) April 4, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Wednesday, April 4, 2012): - UFC on FX 4: Edwin Figueroa (9-1) vs. Ken Stone (10-3) - UFC on FUEL TV 2: Jorgen Kruth (5-0) out, Tom DeBlass (7-0) in against Cyrille Diabate (17-8-1) - Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: James Terry (11-4) vs. Billy Evangelista (11-2) - Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante (16-4-1) vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg (12-3-1) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day is an interview from MMA Mania's James Goyder: DARE Championship Founder Jussi Saloranta Discusses the MMA Ban In Thailand Are you still determined to use Thai fighters and to try and negotiate TV deals in Thailand even if you are not able to hold live events here? The sport of MMA will grow in Thailand whether DARE holds events here or not. There is so much happening right now around Thailand that it is inevitable that the sport will grow to become a mainstream sport. We will definitely continue to use the same roster of fighters and to entertain our audiences, both live and online as well as through new TV co-operations expand our reach by providing new viewers the unique DARE experience. Where the actual live events will be held does not, in my opinion, make a significant difference as long as we keep on delivering our product and improving it. Do you agree with the argument that MMA could somehow adversely affect the image of Muay Thai? We respect whatever decisions are made by the officials, even if we don't always agree with them and we respect the Muay Thai heritage in Thailand and agree that it needs to be protected. At the same time we also feel that MMA has done a lot of good things for Muay Thai, both internationally as well as In Thailand. For example, many of our fighters in DARE don't have a Muay Thai background but are experts in Judo or Jiu Jitsu and now as they are becoming professional mixed marital artists they have started actively to training in Muay Thai. This is in our opinion a win win situation where both sports are supporting each other. Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, alistair, test, drug

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Heavy MMA reports that Alistair Overeem has tested positive for increased levels of testosterone.  The test was taken after a press conference to hype Overeem’s title shot against JDS Memorial Day weekend. Several fighters were tested March 27th with Overeem being the only positive test.  The test puts Overeem’s fight May 26th against Junior dos Santos all but off as he’d have to appear before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to obtain a license.  The positive drug test has angered Dana White and we will now see what Overeem and the UFC do to fix this situation. Payout Perspective: The pre-fight drug tests were a surprise to the fighters and the positive result really jeopardizes the main event. Suffice it to say, it will be interesting to see what Overeem will do.  Will he appear before the commission to offer some reasoning behind the test?  He also has the option of taking a second test.  If the second test comes back negative, then he’d have a better chance of receiving a license although it would not explain the first test.  From another side, it would be interesting to see what the UFC will do.  White was not happy about Overeem testing positive and it hurts what was to be a huge PPV.  The positive test may also force White’s hand with what to do with Overeem. He was in recent legal trouble and now testing positive on a drug test may put Overeem’s time with Zuffa on thin ice.  Also, what should the UFC do, if anything, to stress to its fighters about testing positive for drug tests.

Posted in: overeem, test, drug, drug test, test  

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Dana White is not happy with Alistair Overeem and that's putting it mildly. The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix was on a conference call for Canadian media with the UFC president only minutes after he heard the news that his #1 contender had failed a drug test. White didn't pull any punches."I am beyond pissed about this. I'm so (expletive) mad right now I can't even begin ... Related Stories With Overeem Likely Out, Who Will Face Junior Dos Santos? | Alistair Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | UFC 146 Fighters Tested By NSAC After Press Conference "The worst part is that he sat in front of us and lied to us (referring to a meeting in the UFC's offices meeting with White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, where Overeem insisted he was clean and would pass all drug tests). How (expletive) stupid do you have to be? Seriously dumb. Anybody who's using (performance-enhancing drugs) right now is an absolute (expletive) moron.. "It's beyond - what's the word I'm looking for - it's beyond belief. It's beyond comprehension. You're an absolute moron, a brain-dead absolute (expletive) dummy. It goes beyond a guy have any common sense whatsoever." White told the journalists on the call that it was too soon to announce any changes to the card. "I don't have a plan B" he said. When asked about Overeem's future with the organization he said, "It doesn't look good, does it? IIt doesn't look good." More SBN coverage of UFC 146

Posted in: ufc, overeem, test, drug, expletive

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Earlier today (Wed., April 4, 2012), word broke that Alistair Overeem had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone after he was administered a surprise drug test at a UFC 146 press conference. "The Reem" is scheduled to meet Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight championship on May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now, the title fight and headliner for the promotion's annual Memorial Day weekend show is in jeopardy. Considering it's just over one month away, that's going to leave a lot of folks scrambling to fix this unfortunate situation. That includes UFC President Dana White, who loves to say he wakes up and "has bad sh*t happen" to him on a daily basis. Today is no different. But what was his reaction to the news? White was on a conference call with Canadian media today when he heard of the news and his reaction is as expletive laden as you would think. Quotes via The Star Phoenix: "I am beyond pissed about this. I'm so (expletive) mad right now I can't even begin ... How (expletive) stupid do you have to be? Seriously dumb. Anybody who's using (performance-enhancing drugs) right now is an absolute (expletive) moron. It's beyond - what's the word I'm looking for - it's beyond belief. It's beyond comprehension. You're an absolute moron, a brain-dead absolute (expletive) dummy. It goes beyond a guy have any common sense whatsoever." White also said the worst part of the entire situation is that Overeem lied to him and Lorenzo Fertitta when he first signed with the UFC. "The Reem" assured his new bosses that he could pass any and all drug tests administered. Pants on fire. Perhaps the writing was already on the wall after Overeem was the centerpiece of a drug test fiasco prior to his Octagon debut against Brock Lesnar. He managed to get around it at the time but as they say, every criminal gets caught sooner or later. Or something like that. Regarding what the promotion will do now that it may have just lost its heavyweight championship headliner just over a month away from showtime, White told media members he "doesn't have a plan B." Stay tuned, Maniacs. For more on Overeem's drug test failure click here.

Posted in: overeem, alistair overeem, test, drug, expletive

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submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [13 comments]

Posted in: ufc, tekprodfx, ufc president, drug, drug test

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Alistair Overeem, the number-one contender in the UFC's heavyweight division, has failed a UFC 146 pre-fight drug test, according to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer. Overeem tested positive for an increased T/E ratio after last week's surprise drug test, which took place following the UFC 146 press conference in Nevada. Overeem's sample far surpassed the 6-to-1 limit, topping out above a 10-to-1 ratio. The 31-year-old Overeem was scheduled to fight UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos on May 26, 2012 at the main event of UFC 146, however that booking is now in jeopardy. Last Tuesday's test fuctioned as one of the two random tests Overeem is required to undergo in accordance with NSAC demands, after the Dutch heavyweight missed a commission requested pre-fight drug test in advance of his UFC 141 bout against Brock Lesnar. Overeem will be required to appear before the NSAC if wishes to seek licensure. Dos Santos, Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, Roy Nelson and Antonio Silva all tested negative for banned substances in advance of their UFC 146 main card bouts.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, test, drug, licensure dos

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While the other five UFC 146 heavyweights returned clean results from the NSAC's surprise drug test last week, Alistair Overeem tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, alistair, test, drug

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UFC president Dana White was "beyond pissed" after Alistair Overeem failed a drug test ahead of his scheduled title fight at UFC 146.

Posted in: ufc, title fight, alistair overeem, drug, drug test

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [15 comments]

Posted in: ufc, alistair overeem, drug, mattyblayze, prefight

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Well, damn. So if a Frate Trane fails a pre-fight drug test and is unable to show his/her Frate Trane status in an upcoming fight, does that person automatically get removed from the official MiddleEasy Frate Trane list? Seriously, how does that work? Technically, all Frate Tranes would be able to dominate all drug testing -- whether or not they're on an illegal/banned substance. According to Steven Marrocco at MMAJunkie via a press release issued by NSAC's Keith Kizer, Alistair Overeem has failed the surprise drug test administered to the participants of the UFC 146 press conference held last week. It appears Overeem's first sample (A) came back with a 10-1 ratio which would place it significantly higher than the 6-1 limit outlined by the commission. Keith Kizer mentioned that he still is waiting for Overeem's second urine sample to be returned (B) and if it is indeed negative, he will still be able to take on Junior dos Santos at UFC 146. Keep in mind that nothing has been set yet. As of right now, Overeem is still fighting for the title at UFC 146. However, one can only assume ZUFFA is ear deep in phone calls in order to find a last-minute replacement just in case Ubereem's license is suspended.

Posted in: overeem, drug, trane, frate, urine sample

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When it comes to drugs in combat sports, Nick Lembo has basically seen it all. Like the time a fighter tested positive for PCP after a bout. Yes, angel dust, the hallucinatory drug that distorts reality, prompts violence and numbs the brain's pain receptors."That guy didn't feel anything during that fight," said Lembo, longtime legal counsel to the New Jersey Athletic Control Board.Across the country in Nevada, Nick Diaz and his team are preparing to mount a defense that centers on the theory that his recent positive test for marijuana metabolites proved that his usage came out of competition, a result that would not see him serve any suspension even under the strict bylaws of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that monitors international sport. Those two cases represent the two extremes of drug testing in sports. One is a black-and-white issue with a clear offense, the other is a matter of interpretation. In MMA, drugs and drug testing have been at the forefront of debate recently, due to situations like Diaz’s positive test, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson’s testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) admission, and Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal’s nine-month steroids suspension, the result, he says of an over-the-counter supplement with a banned ingredient.Those high-profile situations have intensified conversations about the way the sport is monitored. UFC president Dana White likes to say that because of government oversight, his athletes are the most regulated in the world, but a closer look shows that’s not the case everywhere. The promotion’s most recent, show, for example, took place in Sydney, Australia, and was overseen by the Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales. Their spokesperson Michelle Neathercote, however, told MMA Fighting that "The Combat Sports Authority does not conduct drug testing. Any drug testing arrangements are a matter for the UFC." In those instances, the UFC acts as its own regulatory body, with its vice president of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner handling issues related to drug testing.That’s not that unusual when the UFC goes international, and global business is a major piece of their expansion, with six out of their last 20 events taking place outside of U.S. borders and at least five others scheduled for 2012.The UFC faced the same scenario in Tokyo just one week before it was in Australia. Some of their fastest-growing markets have yet to embrace drug testing. In Rio, where they will host their third event in a 10-month span this June, there is no commission enforcing drug testing. Even in Toronto, which hosted the largest event in North American MMA history, drug testing isn’t required. Office of the Athletics Commissioner senior advisor Richard Hustwick told MMA Fighting that testing is only done if it is written into bout contracts. The Athletics Commissioner will oversee the administering of the test, while the promoter pays for its cost.Even stateside, there are problems. The state of Washington only has mandatory testing for title bouts. Other states, like Louisiana, have no formally written testing policy at all. That often leaves the UFC in a position where it must help police itself, and leads to skepticism from the public who distrust their willingness to disclose results. On one hand, they have twice suspended star middleweight Chris Leben stemming from self-regulated events. On the other, they never divulged the positive drug test of Tyson Griffin at UFC 123 before it was discovered by MMA blog BloodyElbow.com over one year later. After news of the story broke, the UFC issued a statement saying that while they followed the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission’s 100-day suspension, they noted that it was the state that "did not make this information public."The fact is, there are still situations in which the UFC works hand-in-hand with state regulators to enforce drug testing, mostly by footing the bill.Alvin Topham, who chairs the Louisiana Boxing and Wrestling Commission, detailed that process during an interview with MMA Fighting.When the UFC comes to the state, as they did last September, they insist upon drug testing. The commission will administer the tests, select a laboratory to process them, and pay the initial bill. They will also be the first to receive the results, which they will eventually pass along to the UFC.The promotion later reimburses them for the cost.The reason for this setup? The expense. Topham told MMA Fighting that the commission doesn’t receive a single cent of funding from the state government. Instead, it is self-funded through event gate taxes and licensing. The costs of random testing all events would quickly whittle away their cash reserves, so instead, they concentrate on major shows, using the deeper pockets of bigger promotions like UFC and Bellator to pay for the screenings."They’re footing the bill, but the way we’re doing it is safeguarding against impropriety," said Topham, who has served on the commission since 1992. "If anyone questions my integrity, that’s fine. They can say what they want to say. But I have no investment in the UFC. I don’t work for them. This is an arrangement, and we’re ultimately administering the testing."Many critics contend that fight week testing isn’t enough, anyway, that fighters should be tested out-of-competition. Just this week, the Nevada commission took advantage of a pre-fight press conference to test six UFC fighters scheduled to compete on a May 26 event, the first time that had been done. Regulators simply don’t have the budgets to test fighters when they’re one time zone away, let alone across the world, as often happens in MMA. It's been suggested that the burden should be shouldered by the UFC.According to White, while the promotion recently started drug testing newly contracted athletes, more extensive random, out-of-competition testing would also stretch the promotion’s resources thin."We have 375 guys under contract," he said. "We’re doing a zillion fights a year. We’re traveling all over the world and doing all these other things we’re doing. Now, do you really think that we can crack down and just f------ chase these guys around, everywhere they live, all over the world, and just randomly test these guys all the time? On top of all the other things we’re doing? You have to really sit back and think, to use a little reality and common sense." Commissions Playing Catch-up on TUE's While simple drug screenings are hard enough, the new battleground in drugs in sports is testosterone. Depending on who you ask, testosterone can be the best, worst and most confounding drug in the sports world, sometimes all at once, a viewpoint recently summed up by White."I think that this whole testosterone therapy (TRT) thing works for guys who absolutely need it, but I think it's a messy loophole," he said. For those who legitimately need it, TRT can be a life-changer, addressing issues related to decreased muscle mass, over-fatigue, depression, osteoporosis, and as we all know from the commercials, sex drive. But the key is whether the use is legitimate. TRT, usually administered either through an injection, a patch or gel, successfully addresses these issues, but if abused, could offer an advantage to a professional athlete.That’s particularly worrisome in MMA, where the consequences of PED’s extend far past what they may do to the offending party. It can be a problem for the unwitting opponent, as well as the pressure it places on everyone else to keep up."I think a lot of fighters, and it’s not an excuse but it is a reason, in the past used steroids not to get an advantage but because they thought they needed it to have a level playing field," Nevada state athletic commission executive director Keith Kizer told MMA Fighting. "My opponent’s doing it so I have to. I think we’re moving away from that. Most guys aren’t doing it and those who are doing it are hopefully getting caught by the commissions. But now I’m worried TRT is going to be that way. If my opponent’s doing it, I don’t want him to have an unfair advantage."Publicly ask a professional fighter his opinion on TRT, and most likely you'll get one of two responses. Either they have no opinion because they don't consider themselves knowledgeable enough to comment on the subject, or they, like many in the population at large, consider it to be cheating."It’s a touchy subject," UFC middleweight Alan Belcher told MMA Fighting. "I know it's supposed to be a case-by-case basis, but probably like 99 percent of the time, they’re cheating. They’re lying and the doctor is helping them out."The controversy even cuts right through friendships. Former M-1 light-heavyweight champ Vinny Magalhaes has worked with exempted TRT user Dan Henderson many times, but believes the therapy shouldn't be allowed in MMA."I’ve been in Dan’s camp for three years," he said. "Dan trains, he’d go months with 4-5 injuries. I kind of get why he feels like he has to do it. But for me, if you’re 40 years old, you’re not supposed to have the energy of a 25-year-old guy. If you feel like you can’t perform, maybe it’s just time for you to quit better than to cheat. Otherwise it’s going to become like, hell, I’m 27 but I want to have the strength of two horses so I’m going to take a bunch of steroids. It’s wrong, in my opinion."Under proper doctor’s supervision, TRT isn't going to create a superman, but simply restore the body’s natural testosterone levels. The question then becomes, what is the proper supervision?States that allow exemptions offer guidelines that must be followed before the exemption is ever granted. Nevada and New Jersey shared their rules with MMA Fighting, including the documentation that must be followed by any applicant.In Nevada, a fighter must submit an application for a TUE at least 20 days before a fight. Along with it, he must provide results of no fewer than five tests, measuring things like total serum testosterone level (on separate occasions), luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and measurement of hemoglobin and hematrocrit levels. The commission also reserves the right to require additional tests measuring serum prolactin and iron saturation, pituitary function testing, and MRI of the sella turcica. They must also be able to prove there is no reasonable alternative therapy.According to Kizer, that stops many inquiries in their tracks.In New Jersey, fighters must provide similar records, again demonstrating that levels have been consistently below even the low end of "low normal."But other states have no such procedures in place for TUE’s or any other medically necessary drug. Some states, like Tennessee, handle situations on a case-by-case basis. Spokespeople for the Ohio and Illinois athletic commissions both confirmed that they currently have no procedure in place, though both said they are in the process of being drafted. Asked if Chael Sonnen, a TRT user, notified the state of his use prior to his UFC on FOX 2 matchup with Michael Bisping, Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation spokesperson Susan Hofer told MMA Fighting, "Since we have no therapeutic use rules in place, there would have been nothing to compel an athlete to tell us if they were using any particular therapy in advance."The same question was asked to a Department of Licensing and Regulation official in Texas, where Sonnen fought Brian Stann last October. She would not comment without first seeking the attorney general’s opinion, which was unavailable by press time. Instead, she referred MMA Fighting to their existing rules, which only requires an athlete to inform its executive director of prescription usages "at least 24 hours prior to the bout," too little time to determine need, according to most experts.In an effort to address the issue, the Association of Boxing Commissions plans to address TUE’s at its upcoming July convention, which is attended by many of the country’s state athletic board heads."I’ve got questions myself," said Ohio’s Profato. "We’ll speak to their medical people on this and see where we’re going. I don’t know that we should bar people with TUE’s if they need it medically. Our goal is to make sure when two people get in the cage, neither fighter is at an advantage or disadvantage."Even with procedures in place, some critics contend it’s not enough. When it comes to the growing use of testosterone, most states use a 6:1 testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T/E) as their cutoff for flagging a positive result (WADA has used a more conservative 4:1 ratio since 2007). Others cite the testing as insufficient. Most experts cite the carbon isotope ratio test (CIR) as the most effective means of catching cheats. Instead of looking at T/E ratio, it determines whether the substance in the body is natural or synthetic. From the regulators’ points of view though, the expense related to the test makes it cost-prohibitive given their budgets. Though no one would go on record with the cost of the test, Dr. Anthony Butch, who is the director of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory -- the lab used by California to flag Chael Sonnen’s test in 2010 -- told MMA Fighting that a CIR is "typically at least five times more expensive" than a simple screening for testosterone metabolites, but far more effective."Given that some athletes do not see a significant elevation in the T/E ratio after taking testosterone, or a precursor of testosterone which would then trigger CIR testing, the CIR testing can be a more sensitive first-line test," he said.If all of that has you beginning to drown in information right now, that’s exactly how it sometimes feels for regulators like Kizer and Lembo, who work for two of the sport's leading commissions. Because TUE’s can be applied not only to TRT, but drugs related to other conditions including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, asthma and more. At least one commission, New Jersey, has in the past received a TUE request for medical marijuana, though Lembo would not say whether it was granted.Right now, most of the leading state commissions have declined to disqualify athletes from competition for a medical condition out of hand, but it’s a hot-button issue regardless of the cause."If someone did abuse performance-enhancing drugs at 18 or 20, and they’re 32 now, I don’t know if you disqualify them because they did that," Lembo said. For now, it's not ultimately his decision, anyway. New Jersey uses a review board consisting of three expert physicians who are blinded as to the athlete's identity as well as the other physicians in the decision-making process, its lead ringside physician Dr. Sherry Wulkan told MMA Fighting.Over the years, New Jersey, like Nevada, has denied more TRT TUE's than it has granted.The spotlight on this issue has focused squarely on MMA -- and more specifically, the UFC (Bellator's CEO Bjorn Rebney told MMA Fighting that he was unaware of anyone on his roster undergoing the therapy). But it's not solely an issue here. Other contact sports have also seen the phenomenon. NFL senior vice president of public relations Greg Aiello told MMA Fighting that "about half a dozen" TRT TUE's have been granted in the history of the program, going back to 1990. The NHL also confirmed that they grant exemptions for TRT, though they would not release specific numbers on their program. That’s not to say that there aren’t athletes trying to beat the system. Even Kizer admits that its doubtful unapproved testosterone users will be caught if they stay within normal levels."It’s no different than non-approved use of steroids," he said. "If you cycle properly, you’ll probably be able to cheat the test, unfortunately. But that’s why we try to do in-training testing. People think it’s easy to beat a test. It’s not impossible by any means, but it’s not easy. All we can do is try to have better testing and more testing."Now, here’s the kicker to all of this. Say you spend every last dollar your commission has to test every fighter on every card. You randomly test out-of-competition, you spring for the more effective but more expensive CIR testing. You do all that, and everything seems fine. Guess what? You might still have cheaters in your midst. In February, a WADA report suggested that their research indicated that they are only catching one in every fight drug cheats, and they are considered the gold standard for testing.It’s only going to get more difficult. According to multiple experts, the next frontier is gene doping, a process which injects DNA into existing genes to enhance athletic performance.For now, it’s not known if there’s any usable test in existence that would catch a gene doper. Why? Because there’s no way to tell an athlete’s genetic code without already having it on file. And there’s no way to have it on file without having a biopsy. How many athletes are going to voluntarily submit to that in the name of fair play? History has proven that wherever an opportunity to take an edge exists, someone will take it. Despite the best effort of regulators to test, of promoters to condemn, and of fans to rebuke drug cheats, the system seems destined to be imperfect, a cause ultimately both righteous and hopeless. [Editor's Note: PEDs in MMA was a two-part series. The first installment, "PEDs in MMA: Amid TRT Controversy, a Hidden Danger," focused on the growing link between head trauma and pituitary damage leading to low testosterone.]

Posted in: mma, test, drug, commission, testing

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The six fighters who showed up to help promote UFC 146 on Tuesday were surprised by the Nevada State Athletic Commission with an on-site drug test. News of the testing was first reported by Ron Kruck of “Inside MMA.” Heavyweights Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Antonio Silva and Roy Nelson were also given tests by NSAC executive director Keith Kizer following the press conference. Kizer explained the decision to MMA Fighting’s Mike Chiappetta. We brought the drug test to them instead of making them go to the drug test. If they were not in Las Vegas, I would need to find them a lab, which is of course, much more of a hassle. This was the first time NSAC has performed such a test in MMA, though they did do the same thing to boxers Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko last August. UFC 146 is set for May 26. Kizer added that the results may not become available to the public before that date. However, if someone tested positive, that likely would become public knowledge.

Posted in: test, drug, drug test, nsac, time nsac

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) held a press conference recently for its upcoming UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Overeem" event scheduled for May 26, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Immediately after the presser wrapped, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) decided to drop by and surprise the six heavyweights in attendance -- Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Roy Nelson, Antonio Silva -- with an impromptu drug test. Gotta keep these big boys on their toes and all. In lieu of being nervous, though, a few of the fighters cheesed for Roy Nelson's camera while waiting for "results of our pee tests," as Nelson so eloquently worded it. And while results have yet to be released publicly, it certainly appears as though all systems are clear for the UFC's annual Memorial Day weekend event. At least if we assume they wouldn't be so damn happy knowing they were about to fail. For his part, "Big Country" simply said, "I hope I pass." Right. For more on the surprise drug test at the UFC 146 press conference click here, and for all the latest UFC 146 news and notes click here.

Posted in: ufc, result, test, drug, surprise

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Six UFC heavyweights got a surprise on Tuesday when the Nevada State Athletic Commission came calling after the group had spoken to fans and media about their upcoming bouts at UFC 146. According to multiple reports, rather than request paperwork or address something specifically related to the respective match-ups, the regulatory board randomly tested the fighters for drug use. Included in the sextet of scrappers were headliners Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, as well as Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, Roy Nelson, and Antonio Silva. Inside MMA’s Ron Kruck was the first person to report the testing had taken place. Unrelated to his peers, the screening was the first of two Overeem will undergo prior to the May 26 main event as a condition he agreed to in order to fight Brock Lesnar in late December. The 31-year old missed a required deadline leading up to the contendership-sealing bout, thus leading to the special arrangement. None of the fighters except Silva have ever been popped for illegal drugs. The Brazilian’s transgression came in 2008 stemming from a testosterone booster used to treat his acromegaly. As a result he was suspended for a year though still chose to fight in Japan during the period. No word has surfaced on when the results from this week’s test will be made available to the public. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug use, request paperwork, testosterone booster

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At the conclusion of yesterday's UFC 146 press conference in Las Vegas, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) randomly administered drug tests on fighters who were present to participate in the festivities. Among the fighters who were tested were Antonio Silva and Alistair Overeem. "Bigfoot" was busted in 2008 for using steroids and though "The Reem" has never tested positive for any banned substances, he has constantly been under a microscope when it comes to steroid accusations. So much so, that the NSAC laid down some very strict drug testing guidelines for the former K-1 champion in order to be granted a conditional license to compete in his bout against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141. The testing may have caught everyone buy surprise, but Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Speaking to MMA Weekly after the press conference, White say the UFC and the athletic commissions do more drug testing than anyone else and also takes aim at the NFL , NBA and the MLB saying that if they got tested on a regular basis, there would be no sports to enjoy due to all of the athletes getting busted. Check it out: "Test them every time they perform. Test them every time they run out onto the field. Randomly test guys every time they run out onto the field. NFL, NBA, Major league baseball, test them. I'd love to see that happen and see, you would have guys getting popped fucking left and right. Let me put it to you this way. We got 375 guys under contract. We are doing a zillion fights a year. Right? Were traveling all over the world, all these other things were doing. Now, you really think we can crack down and just fucking chase these guys around everywhere they live all over the world and just randomly test these guys all the time? On top of all the other things were doing? You have to really sit back and you have to think and you have to use a little bit of reality and a little bit of, come on. It's unrealistic for me to chase these fucking guys all over the world and test them for marijuana, cocaine, steroids and this and that. It's impossible! We do more than any other sports organization on the planet. I want to see fucking baseball and football and all these other guys get tested the way we get tested. There would be no football, baseball or anything else if they got tested the way we get tested." A first, in the promotion's history, Dana White firmly defends the decision of the drug test immediately after the press conference, seeing that it's just another way to prove to everyone that his organization and the athletic commissions that approve the events do more in the drug testing department than any other sports organization in the world, bar none. Though there is no exact word on when the results from the testings will be made available, it is safe to assume everyone will be anxious to see whether or not anything negative (or positive) surfaces as a result. What's your take Maniacs, do you share the sentiments of the UFC's head honcho? Or are the rest of the top sports leagues doing their part to keep their respective sports drug free? Thoughts?

Posted in: ufc, guy, test, drug, testing

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Yesterday was a busy day for the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Not only did they meet to deal with King Mo's steroid suspension (more on that soon), they also showed up at the UFC 146 press conference for surprise drug testing! Yep, Nevada has the ability to randomly test fighters, and has recently been exercising the option to do so more. The last time they tried random testing was for the big Lesnar vs Overeem fight and that resulted in a big cockup which almost derailed the fight completely. This time NSAC head Keith Kizer had a better idea: "We brought the drug test to them instead of making them go to the drug test," Kizer said. "If they were not in Las Vegas, I would need to find them a lab, which is of course, much more of a hassle."The six fighters tested were UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, challenger Alistair Overeem, former champs Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, and Roy Nelson and Antonio Silva. Well played, NSAC. Well played. Random drug testing is one of the best ways to actually catch cheats - it's so good that a lot of people are wondering what this round of tests might do to the UFC 146 card. Overeem knew he was due for several pee tests due to the aforementioned testing cockup during the Lesnar fight, but what about Antonio Silva, Frank Mir, Junior Dos Santos, and Cain Velasquez? I'm not too worried about Roy Nelson though. For some reason I suspect his physique has more to do with raw genetics than performance enhancers. Although here's hoping the NSAC can take action against him for lying to his fans about dropping to 205 if he gets enough Facebook page likes. That bastard broke a sacred trust.

Posted in: test, drug, antonio silva, roy nelson, nsac

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submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [comment]

Posted in: nick, tekprodfx, ’t, doesn ’t, drug

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It’s my duty as an adult to discourage any of our readers from doing drugs. Drugs are bad. At MiddleEasy, we are randomly screened for drugs twice a year. The writer, photographer, videographer, or interviewer with the highest levels of THC in his/her system is immediately excluded from Secret Santa, and has to stay to clean up after the ChristmaHanaQuanzaka party. Last year, Jason Nawara missed out on receiving a gift-wrapped prosthetic leg autographed by Rousimar Paul Harris and developed an allergic reaction to some chemical in the bleach-based cleaning solution. Luckily, he was a good sport about it. Jason now understands that there are various levels of repercussions for violating our workplace drug policy. In the past few months, we’ve seen what happens to MMA fighters like Nick Diaz, Cyborg Santos, and King Mo Lawal who had similar mishaps. None of them are looking forward to dealing with their respective punishments for violating the rules either. It seems like all we talk about lately is drugs in MMA, but Dana White says it’s because he oversees the most frequently tested athletes in the world. In fact, in this interview with MMAWeekly, he goes on to say that if other sports tested their athletes as frequently as athletic commissions test ZUFFA fighters, there would be no other professional sports. In situations like this, I suppose a video is worth a thousand clichés.

Posted in: sport, athlete, drug, drugs drugs, nba nfl

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The Heavyweight fighters who participated at today's (March 27, 2012) UFC 146 press conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, got a little bit more than they bargained for at the conclusion of the promotional festivities. According to MMA Fighting, Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) director, Keith Kizer, administered a random drug test on all fighters in attendance, which included Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Roy Nelson and Antonio Silva. "We brought the drug test to them instead of making them go to the drug test. If they were not in Las Vegas, I would need to find them a lab, which is of course, much more of a hassle." Random indeed. The report also states that the results may not be made available until well after UFC 146, which is set to go down at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 26, 2012. However, in the unfortunate case that results come back positive for any competitor, it could change the landscape of the first-ever UFC heavyweight pay-per-view (PPV) main card. Oddly enough, one of the headliners, Overeem, was the centerpiece of a drug test fiasco prior to UFC 141 in which he was given a conditional license to fight, but had to follow strict guidelines handed down by the NSAC. Ultimately, "The Reem" passed all testing and went on to defeat Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 late last year via technical knockout and send him into mixed martial arts (MMA) retirement. "Bigfoot," meanwhile, was popped for using steroids back in 2008, a finding that he vehemently denied. No excuses this time, which is perhaps the true reason for the sneak attack. As always, keep it tuned to MMAmania.com as more details become available. For a complete recap of the UFC 146 fight press conference click here. To watch the full UFC 146 press conference video online click here. And to see the big boys stare each other down click here.

Posted in: ufc, conference, test, drug, drug test

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The fighters who appeared on the dais for today’s UFC 146 official announcement press conference were given surprise drug tests upon the presser’s conclusion. UFC 146 will take place on May 26 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, which was also the site of today’s press conference. Inside MMA’s Ron Kruck first reported the news of the unannounced testing, with MMAFighting confirming the report shortly thereafter with Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director, Keith Kizer. Having just recently received the budget room to perform out-of-competition drug testing for mixed martial arts events, this instance marks the first time in NSAC history that drug testing has been conducted so far out from a fight. The fighters tested were main event competitors Junior dos Santos (UFC heavyweight champion) and Alistair Overeem, as well as supporting fighters Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, Roy Nelson and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. Of the fighters tested, only Antonio Silva has tested positive for a banned substance in the past, having registered the presence of the anabolic steroid boldenone in his system following a 2008 TKO victory over Justin Eilers in EliteXC. Alistair Overeem has been hounded by speculation of steroid usage ever since bulking up from light heavyweight to heavyweight, but has never tested positive in the past, despite being put through rigorous testing for his most recent fight against Brock Lesnar, which took place in Las Vegas.

Posted in: ufc, fighter, heavyweight, drug, testing

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submitted by xKrazExMNUx [link] [5 comments]

Posted in: ufc, press conference, conference, face, drug

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The Nevada state athletic commission took advantage of a Tuesday pre-fight press conference held within state lines, electing to order surprise drug tests for all six fighters who appeared at the UFC 146 event. The testing was done following its conclusion, NSAC executive director Keith Kizer told MMA Fighting, confirming a tweet by Ron Kruck of "Inside MMA." Kizer said it was the first time the commission had screened multiple participants of a mixed martial arts event during a press conference so far ahead of time, though they had done the same in July for a championship boxing match scheduled to take place in August between Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko. "We brought the drug test to them instead of making them go to the drug test," Kizer said. "If they were not in Las Vegas, I would need to find them a lab, which is of course, much more of a hassle." The six fighters tested were UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, challenger Alistair Overeem, former champs Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, and Roy Nelson and Antonio Silva. The test counts as one of the two random draws Overeem must submit himself to after a hearing with the commission last December. That meeting was necessary after Overeem took six days to submit to a requested drug test while moving from Nevada to Holland, and Overeem agreed to the stipulation in order to go forward with his fight against Brock Lesnar, which he won via first-round TKO. NSAC has long had the ability to test fighters out of competition, but only recently gained extra funding to implement it after a bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Sandoval to increase its revenue. According to Kizer, the commission currently has a deal in place with Quest Diagnostics which allows the lab to send testers to obtain samples. After the conclusion of the UFC 146 press conference, the fighters were taken in groups of two to a VIP lounge to submit their sample. Kizer could not say when the results would be made available, saying they may not be publicly released until after the event's May 26 completion. Of course, that would likely change if any of the tests came back positive and put one of the night's big fights into jeopardy.

Posted in: press conference, test, drug, drug test, kizer

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Most fighters are content to let the smoke clear after testing positive for steroid use, sliding into the shadows throughout the attached suspension in hopes fans will either forget or at least forgive the transgression. However, former Strikeforce champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos is in a unique position after dominating her peers while dodging constant rumors of drug use based on her physique. Traces of stanozolol in her system after a December title-defense seemingly confirmed speculation Santos had gained an illegal competitive advantage over all of her opponents and slipped up after having previously beaten the system. Now, with her credibility as a competitor in serious doubt, Santos is attempting to repair her image by speaking out against steroid use and taking extra steps to prove she doesn’t need banned substances to excel in the cage. “I do not condone the use of steroids as an athlete and think it is a horrible thing. I made a mistake of trusting someone in my camp and it has cost me the belt and made me look like a cheater. I am not a cheater. I have passed every drug test and never used steroids knowingly,” said the 26-year old in a statement to MMAPrime before stating her own accountability in the matter, adding, “Everything I take and put in my body is my responsibility. I take responsibility for the results and have publicly apologized to Hiroko (Yamanaka), Strikeforce, the CSAC, and my fans.” To be as transparent about the process as possible, Santos has made changes to her life, even going above and beyond by submitting samples regularly to a commission-recognized lab. “I have eliminated certain people from my training camp. I am taking monthly drug tests at the same laboratory that the CSAC uses to show I do not take steroids,” revealed the 10-1 Santos, vowing she would eventually be back and better than ever. “I’m still training. I’m never going to stop. Everything I did for MMA is not going to stop here. I will be back.” PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: drug, drug tests, steroid, use, cheater i

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Months after news broke that Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal failed a post-fight drug test after his win against Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine in January, the Nevada Athletic Commission has now made its ruling on the matter, with Lawal being suspended for 9 months, along with a $39,000 fine, and his win over Larkin being overturned to a no-contest. Lawal (now 8-1-1NC) tested positive for the steroid Drostanolone, which is commonly used by bodybuilders for cutting weight. Lawal denied knowingly taking the drug, stating that a nutritional supplement he took, S-Mass Lean Gainer by Rock Solid, must have contained the drug. Lawal stated that he used the supplement nearly a year prior to the failed test, specifically in April of 2010. Even though he denies knowingly taking the drug, Lawal made it clear he understood if he were to be punished, stating “Whatever punishment you all took for me, I’m a man, and I’ll take it like a man”. That punishment is similar to other suspensions and fines handed out by the commission in the past. The $39,000 fine comes as a result of Lawal’s $15,000 win bonus being revoked, along with 30% of his fight purse, which was $24,000. After Lawal’s suspension ends in September, he can then submit a drug test to the athletic commission to re-apply for a fighter’s license. That drug test will be mandatory prior to fighting again in Nevada if he is to ever compete in the state again. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for news regarding the development of Lawal’s suspension.

Posted in: test, drug, drug test, lawal, drug lawal

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Breaking her silence on the positive drug test that cost her a one-year suspension, Cris "Cyborg" released a video statement publicly acknowledging her personal responsibility for the result before offering her explanation. According to the former Strikeforce women's featherweight champion, she was deceived by someone within her camp who gave her the drug in an effort to lose weight."I did not know it was a steroid," she said in the taped statement shot by MMAPrime.tv.Cyborg said she "made a mistake in trusting someone in my camp," and in rectifying the problem, said she had "eliminated certain people" from the camp. She also said she has been taking monthly drug tests at the same laboratory used by the California state athletic commission in an attempt to show she does not take steroids.Cyborg's positive result came shortly after her Dec. 17 win over Hiroko Yamanaka. It had been her first fight back after an 18-month layoff, and she was dominant, needing just 16 seconds to earn a first-round TKO.The good times didn't last. In early January, she was informed of the positive result for stanozolol, a steroid often used to lose fat while preserving muscle. She was subsequently stripped of her belt and suspended for one year. Soon after, she attributed the cause to a dietary supplement. While she has now added more detail to the explanation and noted that she was ultimately responsible for what was in her body, she still held to the same defense."People say the only way I have gotten to where I am now is the use of drugs," she said. "They say I am a cheater. That's not true. I just made the mistake of taking something that was supposed to help me lose weight. I did not know it was a steroid."Cyborg also acknowledged the result "cost me my belt and made me look like a cheater."But, she said, she plans to continue working hard at her chosen sport and expects to return to the cage with a vengeance whenever her suspension is lifted."I want to say to my fans, I'm still training. I'm never going to stop," she said. "Everything I did for MMA is not going to stop here. I will be back."Meanwhile, Cyborg's appeal is officially on the California state athletic commission docket for its April 9 meeting. On the agenda, she is listed as Cris "Cyborg" Justino, after recently confirming the end of her relationship with ex-husband Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos.

Posted in: result, test, drug, california state, cyborg

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Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, nick, drug, drug test

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made its long-awaited return to Michigan when it stormed the Palace of Auburn Hills with its UFC 123: "Rampage vs. Machida" pay-per-view (PPV) event back on Nov. 20, 2010. In the opening fight of the night, longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Tyson Griffin lost a razor-thin split decision to Nik Lentz, in a bout that could have been scored either way, but ultimately fell in favor of "The Carny." Griffin's misfortunes would not end there. Following the event, the former lightweight would fail his post-fight drug test for Cannabinoids, be subjected to a monetary fine and serve a suspension of 100 days. So why didn't anyone in the MMA community hear about it until today, when Bloody Elbow released this report outlining Griffin's run-in with the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission? That's just one of many questions Brent Brookhouse has for the powers that be, in a story that is still relevant thanks to Nick Diaz, who failed his UFC 143 post-fight drug test for marijuana, especially considering that everyone and their mother was made aware of his transgression. The hemic articulatio cubiti further ponders: There were already questions surrounding if Griffin would be let go following the loss, given it was his third in a row, but Dana elected to keep him and Tyson dropped to featherweight in his next bout. That move to featherweight is where a conspiracy theorist may look and think that the UFC was more than happy to have a drug test go unspoken with a fighter who was expected to be a game changer once featherweight came to the UFC. In another strange moment during the research for this story, I contacted Stars MMA while waiting for the disciplinary action file to see if they (and Tyson) had a statement regarding the situation. Griffin's manager returned the call and was very upset on the phone that I would report on the issue. He repeatedly told me that there was no sense reporting on the story and then getting upset that I would bring something that happened multiple fights ago to light. For a promotion which has voluntarily made positive drug tests public knowledge (Chris Leben being caught by UFC testing in England for UFC 89), why is this the second positive test for marijuana (that we know of) to have been kept out of the public eye? For Michigan, why did they not make this information public? The public pays for the government commission to operate and pays for tickets/pay-per-views for the events, anything the commission does should be made easily accessible for the public. And for Stars MMA, why would you not take advantage of a chance to get out in front of the story with me and offer comment? Why add another layer of resistance and mystery to a story I made clear was going to come to light? Tyson, now a featherweight, is 1-1 since his loss at UFC 123, getting knocked clean out by Bart Palaszewski at UFC 137 last October. The debate on whether or not marijuana is a performance enhancing drug rages on, but as of now it's currently listed as one of the many outlawed drugs of abuse and will flunk you in a post-fight drug test. Whether it affects the outcome of a fight or not. Anyone think the commission, and perhaps the UFC has some explaining to do? Or was this much ado about nothing? Where do you stand on today's news? Read the commission's full report here.

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, griffin, tyson

Read the full article at MMA Mania

The Ohio Athletic Commission has released the medical suspensions and drug test findings from Saturday night’s Strikeforce: “Tate vs. Rousey.” Leading the medical suspensions were Miesha Tate (elbow), Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (broken hand), Roger Bowling (possible broken hand), and Conor Heun (possible broken hand), all of which were suspended indefinitely until cleared by a doctor. Four fighters were randomly tested for performance enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse from Saturday’s card as well. The OAC reported that all of the participants passed. However, late-replacement Bristol Marunde’s tests are pending due to being granted a therapeutic use exemption(TUE) for testosterone. Marunde was not a part of the random screening but must submit to increased testing due to his TUE. Full Medical Suspensions (all fighters suspended seven days): Miesha Tate – suspended indefinitely (elbow) Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza – suspended indefinitely (broken hand) Roger Bowling – suspended indefinitely (possible broken hand) Conor Heun – suspended indefinitely (possible broken hand) Kazuo Misaki – suspended 45 days (facial laceration) Alexis Davis – suspended 30 days (facial laceration) Pat Healy – suspended 30 days (head laceration) Brandon Saling – suspended 30 days (precautionary reasons)

Posted in: day, suspension, tate, hand, drug

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Four fighters who underwent drug testing at this past Saturday's "Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey" event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato confirmed the drug-testing results today with MMAjunkie.com. The test results of a fifth fighter, Bristol Marunde, are pending. Profato stated that Marunde had received a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone.

Posted in: drug, drug testing, test results, performanceenhancing drugs, use exemption

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Following a failed drug test after UFC 143 on February 4th, Nick Diaz has been temporarily suspended by Nevada Athletic Commission. The suspension was issued on Wednesday, and will be in place until a follow-up meeting takes place, which is where the long-term future of Diaz will be decided. That meeting is expected to take place in April. The commission will look over all information related to Diaz’s drug test for UFC 143, along with a failed drug test from February 2007, after Diaz’s fight with Takanori Gomi at Pride 33, which also took place in Nevada. Diaz was suspended for six months following the failed drug test, and his submission victory over Gomi was overturned and ruled a no contest. Because of his previous suspension by the same commission, it is likely that a second suspension will be more severe. A one year suspension is expected, along with possibly facing a fine. The commission requested information concerning Diaz’s full fight purse from UFC 143, in which he earned $200,000 for the fight, per his contract. Additional bonuses that Diaz received will also be looked at by the commission. Since Diaz is licensed for medical marijuana in the state of California, the commission will also look over the defense by Diaz that he is legally allowed to use the Nevada prohibited drug.

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, drug, commission, drug test

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All eight drug tests conducted following UFC 142 came back negative, according to UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner.

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug tests, ratner, marc

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All eight fighters who underwent drug testing at this past month's UFC 142 event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner, who coordinated the testing, confirmed the drug-testing results with MMAjunkie.com. UFC 142 took place Jan. 14 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The main card aired on pay-per-view, and prelims were on FX and Facebook.

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug testing, drugtesting results, hsbc arena

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The first article I ever wrote on MMA was a plea for professional contact sports to drop the charade surrounding performance enhancing drugs and either provide a reasonable, safe, doctor monitored drug program to all competing athletes or make real inroads into removing the drugs completely. My reasoning for wanting the playing field to be leveled was the recent medical confirmation that repeated blows to the head, no matter how forceful, can lead to irreversible brain trauma. I thought, "it's bad enough that these athletes are risking their long term mental and physical health. If they are competing against supermen, it's infinitely worse." That was about a year and a half ago. Of course, nothing has really changed. Contact sports regulators are content to address the issue with window dressing (see the UFC's new drug testing policy, or Alistair Overeem being allowed to submit to a random drug test some weeks after it was requested). Meanwhile, we've had a handful of high profile PED busts in MMA over the last 18 months, proving once again that yes, there is indeed a problem. This morning Bloody Elbow's Brent Brookhouse, who has been (to my eyes, at least) the most vocal member of the MMA media/MMA blog-o-sphere on the issue of traumatic brain injury, penned a piece on Gary Goodridge. Goodridge has been officially diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (boxer's dementia) at the age of 46. Goodridge is the first high profile MMA fighter to discuss his issues publicly. He is surely not going to be the last. Chuck Liddell, the most popular mixed martial arts fighter of the past decade, ended his career after suffering three consecutive knockouts, two of which were of the one punch variety and all of which were difficult to watch. Will we be reading that Chuck has been diagnosed with CTE one day? I suspect Chuck won't be as open about his health as Goodridge has been. Gary is promoting his autobiography and can likely use all the publicity he can get. Whether he would otherwise be sharing this bit of tragic information with us is debatable. Goodridge and Liddell both come from the "Pride era" of mixed martial arts history, which lasted approximately a decade from the mid nineties until 2005. If they are the poster boys for traumatic brain injury from an era gone by, one must wonder who will be the unfortunate souls from the current era to take their place? ***Follow the jump for more*** The end of the Pride era was brought about partly by poor business practices but, primarily, it was due to the rise of the UFC, and that in turn can largely be attributed to the success of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. If the popular television program shown on Spike TV ushered in the next era, it only makes sense that some of the era's biggest stars came from the shows epic first season. Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, Diego Sanchez, Josh Koscheck, Chris Leben, Mike Swick. These are names that just about every fan knows from their time on the reality show. They are also the only remaining cast members still competing in the UFC, though their days are numbered. Griffin has lost three of his past five fights by TKO or KO, including a particularly bad loss to Shogun Rua at UFC 134 this past summer. Sanchez has yet to suffer a serious KO loss, but he took extensive damage in three of his last four fights, courtesy of BJ Penn, John Hathaway and Martin Kampmann (in a fight that Sanchez won, no less). Leben suffered a nasty KO loss to Brian Stann at the start of 2011 and he is currently serving a year long suspension for using pain killers prior to his last fight, another TKO loss to Mark Munoz. Koscheck is 34 years old and looked every day of it while eeking out a split decision victory over Mike Pierce. He faces heavy handed destroyer (and a guy who knocked out his best friend and training partner in 12 seconds) Johny Hendricks in May. Swick has been dealing with serious health issues (not related to his brain, thankfully) for awhile and hasn't fought in the UFC since February of 2010, some two years ago. If he ever returns, he'll be playing catch-up in a division full of young killers. Stephan Bonnar is just about the only one of the bunch who hasn't lost a step. Bonnar did not have nearly the same success as his TUF counterparts in his first few years after the show, settling into a role as a gatekeeping brawler instead of challenging for a title. In what is a bit of cool irony (as opposed to the usual cruel irony), he has re-invented himself over the course of his past three fights, abandoning stand up wars in favor of a calculated ground attack. Did coming up on the losing end of a couple brawls early on in his UFC career drive Bonnar to see the writing on the wall and make a change before it was too late? You'd have to ask him, but it doesn't seem much of a stretch to me. Meanwhile, Sanchez faces Jake Ellenberger tomorrow night in the main event of the first UFC on FUEL offering. The fight will go a long way in determining the future of the welterweight division. Should Sanchez fall in devastating fashion, it could also mark the beginning of the end of the TUF era.

Posted in: ufc, fight, year, drug, era

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Let's establish two facts from the outset. First, Nick Diaz's use of marijuana to the extent it produced a positive drug test result is irresponsible. Second, the urinalysis test regarding marijuana consumption used by athletic commissions (ostensibly) designed to protect the health and safety of fighters does neither and is little more than kabuki theater. The UFC has every right to be disappointed with Nick Diaz. They invested huge sums of money and other promotional resources to push him, his fight and build him as a pay-per-view attraction. As incoherent and insane as some of the rules may be (more on that in a minute), he accepted the handshake. That meant not only fighting Condit, it also included media promotion and some measure of clean living. For him to test positive on the urinalysis - which could've resulted in promotional disaster for the UFC had he actually defeated Condit at UFC 143 - is the height of unprofessionalism and represents a total failure as a partner to the UFC. But it's also true, and perhaps more important, that the urinalysis test (MMAFighting.com has confirmed Nevada uses urinalyses to test fighters for various banned substances, including marijuana) used by the Nevada State Athletic Commssion (NSAC) to gauge marijuana use does not perform the function it purports to do. "[Marijuana] is banned because of the damage it does to the person taking it," said Keith Kizer, Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Officer to the L.A. Times. "It could make you lethargic, slow your reflexes, and those are dangerous things in a combat sport." Kizer's argument is technically true, but incredibly misleading. In order to have any relevance in the combat sports context - remember, Diaz is medically cleared to use it in his personal life by a licensed medical practitioner - Kizer's argument has to apply to a fighter's state during sanctioned competition. After all, it's fair to argue no fighter should be competing under the euphoric effects of marijuana. Here's the problem: urinalysis tests are incapable of determining when a person used. According to drug use expert, author and Senior Editor of Reason magazine Jacob Sullum, it is scientific fact urinalyses only determine that someone used, not when. "[The urinalysis] shows that the drug has been consumed at some point," said Sullum, "but it doesn't pinpoint when and the problem arises mainly with marijuana because there's a very long detection window for marijuana ranging anywhere from a few days up to a month after somebody has smoked a joint depending on how heavy of a smoker they are, it can be detected for quite a long time after they're not high anymore so it's not a measure of intoxication or impairment, it's an indicator that they have consumed marijuana at some point in the past possibly, quite a time ago." "If you're doing it with urine," Sullum continued, "it's not going to be a measurement of current intoxication or impairment simply because what you're measuring is metabolized after the marijuana is processed. So just by the nature of the test, it's never going to be the test of somebody's current condition." If a urinalysis can't determine current levels of impairment, what can? Sullum says no method is perfect, but blood tests (generally, a more expensive proposition) is a significantly more accurate measurement. "[The blood test] is measuring THC levels in the blood so that's a better indicator, just like with alcohol, you want to know if somebody had a drink recently and how much have they consumed, you can get an idea of that by looking at the alcohol in their blood because that's what's affecting them right now. If there's THC in their blood above a certain cutoff, that's affecting you right now. If it's in your urine, it's not. Your urine is not circulated through your body so the relevant concern is what's actually affecting you now. Blood is a much more accurate measure of that". What's worse, the urinalysis puts a heavy burden on the marijuana user over other banned substances - like cocaine - that pose greater health risks but have shorter detection windows. "Yeah, it's a shorter window for other drugs," said Sullum. "Marijuana is unusual in that it's such a long window but even with other drugs, it can be a day or two or three depending upon the drug." Nick Diaz's problem isn't that he used marijuana in too close a proximity to the fight. By the commission's own perverse enforcement system, it's that he's got the wrong drug of choice. It is more understandable your standard employer would use a urinalysis as a screen for potential hires. All they want is peace of mind you're not using drugs. But they don't need to know if when you took it you were or weren't high. That level of specificity is overkill. Athletic commissions not only have the need, they have the responsibility. When commissions use urinalysis to measure impairment of marijuana and other banned substances, no one's health is protected, no one's safety is at issue. In administering these tests, they become less a governing body tasked with regulating the sport and more just vice cops regulating personal behavior unrelated to occupational demands. Blame Nick Diaz all you like. He knew what he was getting into. The larger issue, however, isn't about him. It's a question of the efficacy of athletic commission protocol and the damaging penalties they hand out when fighters run afoul of demonstrably meaningless screens. Talk about reefer madness.

Posted in: test, drug, commission, marijuana, urinalysi

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No one should be surprised that Nick Diaz has once again failed a drug test for marijuana. His post-UFC 143 positive test results represent the second time he has failed a drug test in Nevada. Diaz infamously failed a drug test that turned his biggest career win over Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 into a No Contest. Diaz also forced the cancellation of a 2009 Strikeforce title fight against Jay Hieron when he failed to appear for a pre-fight drug test. Going into the UFC 143 interim welterweight title bout with Carlos Condit, Diaz fans were sanguine about his use of marijuana and his ability to pass any drug tests. He fought B.J. Penn in Nevada at UFC 137 and passed his drug test with no problems. He fought for Strikeforce three times in 2010 with no problems. But the reefer iceberg was floating under the surface the whole time, waiting to sink his MMA fortunes. This is the same Nick Diaz who told the LA Times in 2009, "I can pass a drug test in eight days with herbal cleansers. I drink 10 pounds of water and sweat out 10 pounds of water every day. I'll be fine." This is the same guy whose response to the question of whether his pot smoking was getting in the way of his MMA career said, "Actually, on the contrary, my fight career has gotten in the way of my marijuana smoking.." This 2007 Diaz interview with CBS Sports is even more over the top. More On Nick DiazNick Diaz Tests Positive For Marijuana After UFC 143 | Carlos Condit Vs. Nick Diaz Rematch In Jeopardy, Was Never 'Official' | Carlos Condit Vs. Nick Diaz Rematch Becomes Official Amid Managerial Confusion | NSAC Boss Keith Kizer Confirms One Positive Drug Test | SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit Ben Fowlkes sums up the situation at MMA Fighting: ...most people in the MMA world probably don't care that he smokes weed. It's not giving him an unfair advantage over his opponents, and it isn't jeopardizing his health. I suppose you could argue that it makes him a poor role model for kids, but no more than fighters who like to knock back a few too many adult beverages at the after-parties, and certainly not more than those who abuse use steroids or other performance-enhancers (not to mention, Nick Diaz is your kid's role model? If so, you've got bigger issues coming your way real soon). But if some fighters can get permission to up their testosterone levels before a fight, why can't Diaz use something that helps him relax and enjoy Reno 911 re-runs? The answer is: because the athletic commission says he can't. Right or wrong, those are the rules, and Diaz knew it. The UFC might have been content to look the other way as long as he passed his drug tests, but the moment he fails to hold up his end of the bargain is the moment he has a problem. Fowlkes brings up an excellent about about testosterone levels. It's ironic that fighters like Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt and Todd Duffee have been allowed to get prescriptions for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but Diaz, with his prescription for medical marijuana can't get a pass. We'll turn to the issue of whether or not marijuana should be a prohibited substance tomorrow, but for now just know that it was only a matter of time before Diaz failed another piss test. It's utterly maddening for such a talented fighter, a man at the peak of his athletic abilities to be looking at losing up to a year of his fighting career over something so avoidable. Nick, put down the pipe, MMA needs you back. SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nick, test, drug

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Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Nick Diaz fights in Las Vegas, does his usual schtick enlarging his fame among his diehard fans and leaving the rest of the MMA world slightly confused, but intrigued. Then the drug-test results come back, and suddenly he has a real problem that won’t go away. Not without a suspension and a fine, in all likelihood.For the second time in his professional career, Diaz has been busted for marijuana use by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The first was back in 2007, when his spectacular submission win over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33 was changed to a no contest after Diaz turned in a urine sample with THC levels that would make Willie Nelson blush. Fast forward five years, and it’s the same story, only this time in the UFC, and at a time when he can least afford it. If you were surprised to learn that Diaz has a bit of a thing for weed, I have some news about Ernest Hemingway and booze that may shock you. If, like most of us, you already knew that Diaz liked a puff from time to time and just assumed he’d gotten better at fooling the drug tests, the news is probably more of a vague disappointment than anything else. It’s not that he uses one of the most harmless drugs (and least performance-enhancing ones) on the banned substances list -- it’s that he got caught for it. Of all the questionable things Diaz does -- from slapping and taunting opponents to making the lives of the UFC PR staff miserable -- smoking weed is actually probably the most defensible. After all, he lives in California, where medical marijuana is legal. His trainer, Cesar Gracie, has publicly stated in the past that Diaz has a prescription for it, and if anyone could make the case for needing a little something to soothe his general anxiety, it’s Diaz. My point is, most people in the MMA world probably don’t care that he smokes weed. It’s not giving him an unfair advantage over his opponents, and it isn’t jeopardizing his health. I suppose you could argue that it makes him a poor role model for kids, but no more than fighters who like to knock back a few too many adult beverages at the after-parties, and certainly not more than those who abuse use steroids or other performance-enhancers (not to mention, Nick Diaz is your kid’s role model? If so, you’ve got bigger issues coming your way real soon). But if some fighters can get permission to up their testosterone levels before a fight, why can’t Diaz use something that helps him relax and enjoy Reno 911 re-runs? The answer is: because the athletic commission says he can’t. Right or wrong, those are the rules, and Diaz knew it. The UFC might have been content to look the other way as long as he passed his drug tests, but the moment he fails to hold up his end of the bargain is the moment he has a problem.Rematch with Carlos Condit? It’s a non-issue now. And can you imagine if the decision had gone his way, and if the organization was left waiting out a Georges St-Pierre injury and a Diaz drug suspension before it could make the fight that fans desperately wanted to see?At the same time, it’s sad and a little bizarre that the least harmful thing Diaz does to himself is among the most harmful to his career. As much as he loves to complain about wholly imagined injustices, this one is sort of real. If a guy can get permission for testosterone, why can’t he get it for marijuana? If he smokes it legally a week before his fight, why does it matter whether it shows up in a urinalysis? And yet, it does matter, at least to the NSAC. Diaz knows it is, as do his coaches, who have at least some responsibility to try and look out for the guy. They learned this lesson once already, so it’s hard to feel too much sympathy for them the second time around. It’s also difficult to feel too angry or betrayed. This isn’t an attempt to cheat, it’s just a failure to get away with something that none of us really cared he was doing anyway. It’s an oversight. It’s a screw-up that lends itself to the existing narrative of immaturity and irresponsibility in unfortunate ways, and at perhaps the most unfortunate time. If Diaz thought MMA wasn’t worth the trouble when he lost a close decision, what’s he going to think now that the NSAC is likely to fine and suspend him? What if one of the most interesting and entertaining fighters in the sport is run into an early retirement by his own inability to deal with adversity, combined with an antiquated rule regarding a misunderstood substance?It will be a shame, certainly. It also be frustratingly pointless. More than anything, it’s just dumb. Diaz didn’t break this rule as an act of civil disobedience. He simply messed up his own system somewhere along the line. That, or he found a brand new way to sabotage himself. Either way, he’ll have plenty of time to think about it now. So will his employers at the UFC.

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission has confirmed that someone tested positive for a banned substance in drug testing at UFC 143. What has not yet been confirmed is who that someone was, or what that substance was. In an e-mail to the media sent on Thursday, Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer acknowledged that there has been great sustained interest in knowing what the results of drug tests were at UFC 143, and he confirmed that someone tested positive. But he declined to elaborate further than that. "Thank you for the many email and phone calls. I am still waiting for all the steroid and drug test results to come back. We did have at least one positive test. I will send out an email later today on that matter," Kizer said in his e-mail, in which the word "many" was bolded. What is still unknown is what the test result was, what the consequences will be for the fighter who tested positive, and whether any appeals are forthcoming. In the main event at UFC 143, Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz by unanimous decision. UFC President Dana White said this week that Condit agreed to a rematch, but Diaz's manager Cesar Gracie later said there will be no rematch, without explaining why.

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, drug tests, email

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Where there's smoke, there's fire and there's also Nick Diaz, toking up. Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Keith Kizer today confirmed that Diaz failed his drug test for "marijuana metabolites" at the UFC 143 event this past Feb. 4, 2012. Also screened for performance enhancing drugs, as well as drugs of abuse, were Carlos Condit, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Koscheck, Renan Barao, Ed Herman, Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Matt Riddle, Henry Martinez, Edwin Figueroa, Alex Caceres, Matt Brown, Chris Cope, Rafael Natal, Michael Kuiper, Stephen Thompson and Dan Stittgen. Those fighters all passed with flying colors. For Diaz, this marks the second time he's been popped for marijuana in Nevada, having tested positive following his win over Takanori Gomi back in Feb. 2007. This result mars an event that was already crawling in controversy, thanks to the Diaz vs. Carlos Condit main event bout going to a five-round decision finish that few were satisfied with. In fact, Diaz retired in disgust after the bout, proclaiming his dislike for the scoring system in place in MMA. His team, led by Cesar Gracie, immediately started campaigning for a rematch, so that didn't last long, of course. But now he'll be on a mandatory vacation imposed by the NSAC. After all the insanity surrounding Diaz since he signed a contract with the UFC, from his removal from the UFC 137 main event for missing press conferences all the way up to this drug test failure, one has to wonder if Diaz is worth the headache he's surely given Dana White. Then again, UFC 143 drew a better than expected 400,000 buys on pay-per-view. Either way, stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details on Diaz's drug test results as they become available.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, event, test, drug

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Marijuana is as much as a performance enhancing drug as World of Warcraft is a 'opposite sex attraction enhancer.' Let me preface this article by stating it's ridiculous that our society has demonized perhaps one of the least-threatening recreational substances that's as natural and indigenous to the planet as a handful of wheat grass, a basket full of cranberries or a cup of water. The Nevada State Athletic Commission has issued a press release stating Nick Diaz tested positive for 'marijuana metabolites' leading up to UFC 143. Some of you remember Diaz tested positive for marijuana after his Pride FC fight against Takanori Gomi, nullifying perhaps one of the greatest fights we've ever seen in MMA. Since this is Diaz's second positive marijuana drug test from NSAC, expect a suspension that will be longer than six months. Here's a brief rundown on THC metabolites and how the retain in the human body from About.com. Some THC metabolites have an elimination half-life of 20 hours. However, some are stored in body fat and have a elimination half-life of 10 to 13 days. Most researchers agree that urine tests for marijuana can detect the presence of the drug in the body for up to 13 days. However, there is anecdotal evidence that the length of time that marijuana remains in the body is affected by how often the person smokes, how much he smokes and how long he has been smoking. Regular smokers have reported positive drug test results after 45 days since last use and heavy smokers have reported positive tests 90 days after quitting. Note that with regular smokers (like Nick Diaz) metabolites can last in the system as long as three months after ceasing smoking. Therefore, no amount of running, triathlons or GSP Rushfit can extract the substance from the system. This undoubtedly puts a halt to the recently semi-announced Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit rematch, and will only further promote an early retirement from Nick Diaz.

Posted in: diaz, nick, body, drug, marijuana

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission announced Thursday that at least one UFC 143 drug screen has come back positive.

Posted in: ufc, head, drug, nevada state, screen

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Uh-oh. With all the controversy surrounding the UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" event, and most of it swirling around the Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit headlining bout, this just puts the cherry on top. Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer sent out an e-mail today confirming that one fighter who competed on the card returned a positive result on their drug test: Thank you for the many email and phone calls. I am still waiting for all the steroid and drug test results to come back. We did have at least one positive test. I will send out an email later today on that matter. Naturally, assumptions are going to be made and at this point, it's difficult to refute them. The Diaz camp had been lobbying for a rematch with Condit and apparently got their way, as UFC President Dana White all but confirmed the two were going to be set up for another date later this year. Then, suddenly, everything changed course and Cesar Gracie, head of the Diaz band of rebels, changed his tune. Seemingly out of nowhere, Gracie told multiple media outlets that the rematch would NOT be happening. He refused to go into specifics, though, and left us all to wonder just what the heck is going on. But then Josh Gross straight out asked Gracie about the rumor floating around that Diaz had failed his drug test and his response was rather interesting, to say the least: I asked Cesar Gracie yesterday re: rumor about an issue w/ Nick Diaz's drug test. His answer: "I have been told not to comment on anything." And the plot thickens. To be clear, we cannot confirm at this time that Diaz failed his drug test, even if all signs are pointing in that direction. Kizer noted that he will notify everyone once all results are in and then -- and only then -- can speculation be laid to rest. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts on all this madness, Maniacs.

Posted in: diaz, result, test, drug, drug test

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission has confirmed that someone from this past Saturday’s UFC 143 event in Las Vegas has tested positive for a banned substance, but will not confirm who it was or what drug they tested positive for until later today. “Thank you for the many email and phone calls. I am still waiting for all the steroid and drug test results to come back. We did have at least one positive test. I will send out an email later today on that matter,” NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer said in an email. The UFC 143 main event saw Carlos Condit narrowly outpoint Nick Diaz to win the interim welterweight title and earn a shot at champion Georges St-Pierre. On Tuesday night, a rematch was reportedly in the works, but by Wednesday, Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, said “there is not going to be a rematch” without going into details. The reason for the cancellation of the rematch has yet to be announced. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for complete coverage of the UFC 143 drug test results once they are released.

Posted in: ufc, las vegas, rematch, test, drug

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The rumors have been swirling that someone on the UFC 143 card failed his post-fight drug test. Now we have confirmation via an email from Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer that SOMEONE on the card did indeed fail a drug test. Here's an email sent from the NSAC commission to members of the MMA media: From: Keith Kizer Date: Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 12:16 PMSubject: UFC 143 Thank you for the many email and phone calls. I am still waiting for all the steroid and drug test results to come back. We did have at least one positive test. I will send out an email later today on that matter. Keith KizerExecutive DirectorNevada Athletic Commission Things to keep in mind: There is no indication as to who is the fighter in question. There is no indication as to whether the drug test failure is for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) or drugs of abuse. But this does tie in neatly to the rumors that have swirled around the on-and-off nature of the Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit rematch. Here's another clue for you all, SI reporter Josh Gross tweeted this earlier: @JoshGrossESPNJosh Gross I asked Cesar Gracie yesterday re: rumor about an issue w/ Nick Diaz's drug test. His answer: "I have been told not to comment on anything." Feb 09 via web Favorite Retweet Reply More on this story from Bloody Elbow: Carlos Condit Vs. Nick Diaz Rematch In Jeopardy, Was Never 'Official' Carlos Condit Vs. Nick Diaz Rematch Becomes Official Amid Managerial Confusion SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission said that at least one competitor from UFC 143 has tested positive for a banned substance. In an email sent today to MMAjunkie.com, NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer did not specify whether the positive test was for drugs of abuse or performance-enhancing drugs but said a release was forthcoming today. "I am still waiting for all the steroid and drug test results to come back," Kizer stated.

Posted in: test, today i, drug, nevada state, drug test

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission has confirmed that someone tested positive for a banned substance in drug testing at UFC 143. What has not yet been confirmed is who that someone was, or what that substance was. In an e-mail to the media sent on Thursday, Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer acknowledged that there has been great sustained interest in knowing what the results of drug tests were at UFC 143, and he confirmed that someone tested positive. But he declined to elaborate further than that. "Thank you for the many email and phone calls. I am still waiting for all the steroid and drug test results to come back. We did have at least one positive test. I will send out an email later today on that matter," Kizer said in his e-mail, in which the word "many" was bolded. What is still unknown is what the test result was, what the consequences will be for the fighter who tested positive, and whether any appeals are forthcoming. In the main event at UFC 143, Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz by unanimous decision. UFC President Dana White said this week that Condit agreed to a rematch, but Diaz's manager Cesar Gracie later said there will be no rematch, without explaining why.

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Keith Kizer of NSAC confirmed to @themmashow w/ @mauroranallo there was one positive drug test from #UFC143. Couldn't say who. Oh jeez, grab your popcorn

Posted in: drug, mauroranallo, drug test, keith kizer, themmashow

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The UFC has retained an independent drug-testing laboratory to screen fighters for performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse later this month at UFC 144 in Japan. The event's headliners - lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and challenger Ben Henderson - will be tested along with six to eight random competitors on the fight card, a source close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com Approximately 15,000 tickets have been sold for the show, the source said.

Posted in: ufc, drug, japan show, screen fighters, drugtesting laboratory

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Dr. Margaret Goodman of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association is issuing an open challenge to the UFC to step up drug testing protocols in order to promote a cleaner sport.

Posted in: ufc, challenge, drug, testing, antidoping association

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In appears Strikeforce light heavyweight Muhammed Lawal will stray from the norm and avoid filing an appeal with the Nevada State Athletic Commission relating to a positive drug test result. However, Lawal also isn’t admitting guilt but rather pleading innocence by ignorance. Lawal and his manager, Mike Kogan, spoke about the subject while appearing as guests on The MMA Hour where they explained their side of the situation including what they believed to be the culprit of all the controversy. According to Lawal’s camp he used a supplement he purchased at Max Muscle called S-Mass Lean Gainer. However, as it turns out, the substance featured the very steroid – Drostanolone – found in Lawal’s system and is no longer carried by the chain of fitness stores. “To the best of my research, this product was taken off the shelves some time in mid-2011, for exactly the same reason that we’re facing right now,” said Kogan. “Its primary and only relevant ingredient of that particular product is a substance known as Methyldrostanolone, which is basically just a pill format of Drostanolone.” “When I went to Max Muscle, I figured you can’t buy steroids at a Max Muscle,” Lawal added. “It’s a chain store. That’s like going to a grocery store and buying something illegal there.” Because Lawal is acknowledging he did take the drug he was popped for he is not appealing the NSAC’s finding. “What we will file is an answer, and an answer would involve affirming their test results and providing our findings and our explanation,” relayed Kogan who remained hopeful their honesty and the context of the use would be taken into account in terms of punishment from the regulatory board. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: test, drug, lawal, store, kogan

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Beginning immediately, Zuffa has put in place a pre-signing screening for performance enhancing drugs that any and all incoming fighters will have to pass before they are signed. The news of this test comes as positive results have come back claiming fighters such as 145-pound champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos and former light heavyweight champ Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal have tested positive. Both compete for Strikeforce, which is owned by Zuffa. “We’re committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously,” Zuffa chief executive Lorenzo Fertitta said in an official statement on the matter. “We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we’re taking it one step further. We’re going to test any potential UFC or Strikeforce fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don’t want performance enhancing drugs in our sport.” The policy, which has been retroactively dated to the beginning of the new year, means all future fighters must undergo testing procedures before they are official. UFC President Dana White added, “Our new testing policy for performance enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.” Lawal, a former wrestler in college, has claimed the test is false and that he has not taken anything illegal. Santos also said much the same, adding that her positive test was for a supplement given to her by her a respected trainer.

Posted in: fighter, test, drug, zuffa, precontract screening

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The UFC is now going to be testing potential new fighters who are about to sign with the company with Strikeforce. Anyone who wants to fight in the company will now have to prove that they are not on performance enhancing drugs.

Posted in: anyone, company, drug, testing, strikeforce anyone

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In as timely a fashion as could be, Zuffa has announced it will start screening fighters for performance enhancing drugs prior to signing them to contracts. The news comes on the heels of today’s news regarding Muhammed Lawal’s positive test for an anabolic steroid with former Strikeforce champion Cristiane Santos also having shown PED use after a December fight under the company’s banner. “We’re committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously,” explained chief executive Lorenzo Fertitta of the company’s decision. “We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we’re taking it one step further. We’re going to test any potential UFC or Strikeforce fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don’t want performance-enhancing drugs in our sport.” Lawal Latest Fighter to Test Postive for PEDs UFC President Dana White also weighed in on the matter, saying, “The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority. We’ve seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and Strikeforce. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.” The policy has been retroactively dated to January 1, 2012 meaning all future signees will undergo the company’s rigorous testing procedures before being officially brought on. Tweet

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The UFC and Strikeforce will now test all incoming fighters for performance enhancing drugs before a contract can be signed with either promotion, their parent company Zuffa announced today. The news comes on the heels of positive steroids tests by Strikeforce’s “King” Mo Lawal  and women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. “The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’ve seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and STRIKEFORCE. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.” The testing will also include competitors on The Ultimate Fighter, which moves to FX for its 15th season in March, while current fighters will continue to be screened by athletic commissions at their fights and at random. For the latest UFC news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com. Pictured: UFC President Dana White

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Hot on the heels of news that “King Mo” Lawal tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone comes an announcement from Zuffa that all new UFC and Strikeforce fighters will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs before finalizing their contracts. Excerpts from the official press release: Continuing a commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that all potential UFC® and STRIKEFORCE® signees will be subject to a mandatory pre-contract screening for performance-enhancing drugs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all incoming athletes will be tested prior to finalizing a contract with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. “We’re committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously,” UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said. “We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we’re taking it one step further. We’re going to test any potential UFC or STRIKEFORCE fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don’t want performance-enhancing drugs in our sport.” “The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’ve seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and STRIKEFORCE. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.” I’m not convinced this new policy will help eradicate the sport of PED’s, but it won’t hurt the cause either. What I’m more curious about is if Zuffa is going to reject fighters who don’t pass the initial pre-contract screening, are they also going to release fighters they already have under contract who test positive like Cris Cyborg and King Mo? They haven’t in the past, but with this new policy and their commitment to “do everything [they] can to keep [PED's] out of the UFC and Strikeforce” that would only make sense.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, athlete, drug, performanceenhancing drugs

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The UFC released a very interesting bit of information this afternoon, all new UFC and Strikeforce fighters will have to pass a performance-enhancing drug screening. This news came out very shortly after news that "King Mo" Muhammed Lawal had tested positive for steroids after his last Strikeforce fight. Here's the official press release: Continuing a commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that all potential UFC® and STRIKEFORCE® signees will be subject to a mandatory pre-contract screening for performance-enhancing drugs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all incoming athletes will be tested prior to finalizing a contract with the world's premier mixed martial arts organization. UFC and STRIKEFORCE already work closely with the most prestigious regulators and athletic commissions to ensure the healthy and safety of athletes prior to competition. This includes contestants on The Ultimate Fighter®, all of whom are pre-screened for performance-enhancing drugs prior to participating on the longest-running sports reality show on television. All current UFC and STRIKEFORCE athletes will continue to be screened for performance-enhancing drugs, both prior to competition and at random, in accordance with athletic commission rules and regulations. "We're committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously," UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said. "We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we're taking it one step further. We're going to test any potential UFC or STRIKEFORCE fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don't want performance-enhancing drugs in our sport." This pre-contract screening policy further cements the organization's dedication to the well-being of its athletes. In May, the organization announced that nearly 350 UFC and STRIKEFORCE independent contractor athletes would be eligible for customized accident insurance coverage, an unprecedented policy that covers accidental injuries suffered by athletes while training, as well as non-training incidents such as automobile accidents. "The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority," UFC President Dana White said. "We've seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we're going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and STRIKEFORCE. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field." There is a lot to say both on the positive and negative side of things here. But we'll be breaking all that down over this week so stay tuned.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, athlete, drug, performanceenhancing drugs

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The UFC announced that it will institute a pre-contract performance enhancing drug (PED) screening for fighters that will compete in the UFC (and Strikeforce). The news comes on the heels of numerous outlets including MMA Weekly reporting that Strikeforce’s King Mo Lawal tested positive for an anabolic steroid, Drostanolone. Via UFC press release: Continuing a commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that all potential UFC® and STRIKEFORCE® signees will be subject to a mandatory pre-contract screening for performance-enhancing drugs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all incoming athletes will be tested prior to finalizing a contract with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. UFC and STRIKEFORCE already work closely with the most prestigious regulators and athletic commissions to ensure the healthy and safety of athletes prior to competition. This includes contestants on The Ultimate Fighter®, all of whom are pre-screened for performance-enhancing drugs prior to participating on the longest-running sports reality show on television. All current UFC and STRIKEFORCE athletes will continue to be screened for performance-enhancing drugs, both prior to competition and at random, in accordance with athletic commission rules and regulations. “We’re committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously,” UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said. “We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we’re taking it one step further. We’re going to test any potential UFC or STRIKEFORCE fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don’t want performance-enhancing drugs in our sport.” This pre-contract screening policy further cements the organization’s dedication to the well-being of its athletes. In May, the organization announced that nearly 350 UFC and STRIKEFORCE independent contractor athletes would be eligible for customized accident insurance coverage, an unprecedented policy that covers accidental injuries suffered by athletes while training, as well as non-training incidents such as automobile accidents. “The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’ve seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and STRIKEFORCE. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.” Payout Perspective: The policy is a step in the right direction for the UFC and Strikeforce as it adds greater transparency and shows the public that it wants drug-free competition. However, as we see with the Lawal news, there is still the issue of existing fighters and regulating testing. Lawal has denied using Drostanolone. So, we’ll see how this is explained in the coming days. What we see here is the fact that the UFC/Strikeforce will have to take more of a proactive role if it wants to ensure that “health and safety” is a “top priority” for its athletes. Does this mean it has to work closely with athletic commissions or offer up its own random testing? We shall see, but the timing of the announcement and the Lawal news reminds us that there is still work to be done when it comes to drug regulation.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, athlete, drug, performanceenhancing drugs

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This is certainly interesting timing. On the heels of Strikeforce light heavyweight Muhammed Lawa failing a drug test for anabolic steroids for his Jan. 7 bout against Lorenz Larkin, the UFC has issued a press release today announcing a new policy effective immediately that dictates pre-contract drug testing for all newcomers to Zuffa promotions. From the release: Continuing a commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that all potential UFC® and STRIKEFORCE® signees will be subject to a mandatory pre-contract screening for performance-enhancing drugs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all incoming athletes will be tested prior to finalizing a contract with the world's premier mixed martial arts organization. UFC and STRIKEFORCE already work closely with the most prestigious regulators and athletic commissions to ensure the healthy and safety of athletes prior to competition. This includes contestants on The Ultimate Fighter®, all of whom are pre-screened for performance-enhancing drugs prior to participating on the longest-running sports reality show on television. All current UFC and STRIKEFORCE athletes will continue to be screened for performance-enhancing drugs, both prior to competition and at random, in accordance with athletic commission rules and regulations. This is, of course, a necessary step for the world's largest fight promotion and frankly, something it should have been doing all along. Then again, it's fair to question to what point and purpose there is to giving away the fact that if the UFC comes calling with a contract offer, a drug test is coming right alongside it. After all, only a truly random drug test is going to turn up offenders. With Lawal and Cristiane Santos, two prominent Strikeforce fighters, both having failed drug tests within the span of a month, the need to do something about steroid use in MMA is obvious. The UFC will undoubtedly garner some solid PR with this press release but will it truly help weed out those who are looking to gain a competitive edge? Maniacs, what's your take on the matter?

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, drug, drug test, performanceenhancing drugs

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Zuffa in coordination with the UFC and Strikeforce have started a new policy of screening all incoming athletes for performance enhancing drugs prior to signing with one of the organizations.

Posted in: drug, zuffa, performance, screening, enhancer

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammal Lawal has tested positive for anabolic steroids (Drostanolone) following his Jan. 7, 2012, technical knockout (TKO) win over Lorenz Larkin at the Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" event at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Keith Kizer today alerted MMAmania.com to the results of Lawal's drug test. Also screened for performance enhancing drugs, as well as drugs of abuse were Luke Rockhold, Keith Jardine, Robbie Lawler, Muhammed Lawal, Tyron Woodley, Tarec Saffiedine, Tyler Stinson, Nah-Shon Burrell, James Terry, Gian Villante, Trevor Smith, Ricky Legere, Chris Spang, Estevan Payan and Alonzo Martinez. Those fighters all passed with flying colors. "King Mo" becomes the second high-profile Strikeforce fighter to test positive for steroids in recent weeks. Former women's champion Cristiane Santos was popped for Stanozolol following her Dec. 17, 2011, win over Hiroko Yamanaka. More on this breaking news in just a bit.

Posted in: strikeforce, lorenz larkin, drug, steroid, lawal

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Filed under: UFC, NewsFighters from now on will be screened for performance-enhancing drugs prior to signing with the UFC or Strikeforce, Zuffa announced Tuesday. This announcement comes off the heels of two straight Strikeforce events with drug test failures from major Strikeforce players. In the last 11 days, athletic commissions have named both former women's 145-lb. champ Cris Cyborg and former 205-lb. champ Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal for testing positive for steroids. "The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority," UFC president Dana White said in a press release. "We've seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we're going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and Strikeforce. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field." Current UFC and Strikeforce fighters will continue to be drug tested before and after fights as well as randomly in accordance with respective athletic commissions. The policy of screening potential signees for PEDs prior to finalizing a contract officially came into effect Jan. 1. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, drug, testing, performanceenhancing drugs

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Continuing a commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that all potential UFC® and STRIKEFORCE® signees will be subject to a mandatory pre-contract screening for performance-enhancing drugs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all incoming athletes will be tested prior to finalizing a contract with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization.UFC and STRIKEFORCE already work closely with the most prestigious regulators and athletic commissions to ensure the healthy and safety of athletes prior to competition. This includes contestants on The Ultimate Fighter®, all of whom are pre-screened for performance-enhancing drugs prior to participating on the longest-running sports reality show on television.All current UFC and STRIKEFORCE athletes will continue to be screened for performance-enhancing drugs, both prior to competition and at random, in accordance with athletic commission rules and regulations.“We’re committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously,” UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said. “We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we’re taking it one step further. We’re going to test any potential UFC or STRIKEFORCE fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don’t want performance-enhancing drugs in our sport.”This pre-contract screening policy further cements the organization’s dedication to the well-being of its athletes. In May, the organization announced that nearly 350 UFC and STRIKEFORCE independent contractor athletes would be eligible for customized accident insurance coverage, an unprecedented policy that covers accidental injuries suffered by athletes while training, as well as non-training incidents such as automobile accidents.“The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’ve seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and STRIKEFORCE. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.”

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, athlete, drug, performanceenhancing drugs

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All drug tests came back clean for fighters tested following last month's UFC 141 card in Las Vegas. In all, 19 of 20 fighters on the card were tested.

Posted in: ufc, fighter, las vegas, drug, drug tests

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

Today, someone will change Ubereem to 'Uberclean' and it will be cool for about twenty-minutes. After this period of time, that person should cease to use the term 'Uberclean' and if they refuse, you have permission to throw the nearest food item directly in their face. We can't 'I'm Rick James, Bitch' this one folks. Let's not drive it into the ground until it loses all significance. Instead, we should all celebrate today as the day when all critics, haters, UG fanboys, socialists, narrow minded thinkers and disbelievers were proven wrong. Alistair Overeem, as well as every fighter in UFC 141 passed their drug test with flying colors and now all that's left for most of the MMA world is the empty bottles of haterade they left aboard the 'Let's hate Ubereem for no valid reason' bandwagon. The voyage is over. You can all go back to your families whom you've neglected for the past two years. With Cyborg failing her recent drug test, I think it's all safe to say that a big 'LOL' goes out to all of those who seriously thought Ubereem was going to test positive for steroids. Actually, a huge 'LOL' goes out to a certain MMA commentator who I've kicked it with on several occasions. Dude, looks like you were wrong (but I still love you). This is undoubtedly further proof that you should incorporate horse meat into your diet at your earliest convenience. Props to Ubereem on the news, now continue your frate traneage through the heavyweight ranks of MMA. [Source]

Posted in: mma, alistair overeem, test, drug, ubereem

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link

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Maybe there's something to that horse meat diet after all. UFC 141 drug test results are in from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), who today confirmed that all fighters competing on the "Lesnar vs. Overeem" pay-per-view card, with the exception of Jon Fitch, were tested for illegal/banned substances. Each competitor was screened for drugs of abuse like cocaine and marijuana, among others, in addition to a test for performance enhancing drugs (PED's) like steroids. Results from these battery of tests all returned negative. That should help put to rest much of the hoopla surrounding Alistair Overeem's drug test fiasco, which nearly prevented him from competing at the "Lesnar vs. Overeem" event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena back on Dec. 30, 2011. "Demolition Man" was called out in a public hearing with the NSAC, one that forced Overeem to account for his inconsistencies concerning the time frame in which he took his steroid test as part of (what was supposed to be) a random screening. While "The Reem" was scheduled for a hearing in front of the NSAC back on Dec. 12, ZUFFA was faced with the very real possibility that he could have been denied a license to compete, effectively destroying the much-ballyhooed main event with only two weeks until fight night. Didn't happen. The striking Dutchman satisfied their terms and was granted a conditional license -- prior to giving Lesnar an unconditional release following a first round technical knockout. The former WWE star called it quits during his post-fight speech. To see how it all went down, check out our UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem" results round-up here.

Posted in: overeem, result, lesnar, test, drug

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The UFC 141 drug test results came back clean with all but one fighter tested, although Alistair Overeem still has two more tests to go.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, alistair overeem, test, drug

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All 21 fighters who underwent drug testing at this past month's UFC 141 event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer today e-mailed the drug-testing results to MMAjunkie.com. UFC 141 took place Dec. 30 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with an Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar pay-per-view headliner.

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug testing, drugtesting results, performanceenhancing drugs

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Cris Cyborg has blamed a dietary supplement for her failed drug test that was positive for steroids, which resulted in her being stripped of Strikeforce’s women’s featherweight title and her 16-second knockout of Hiroko Yamanaka being overturned. From Cyborg’s official website: I would like to sincerely apologize to StrikeForce, the Zuffa organization, Hiroko Yamanaka and my fans for my failed drug test. I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system. I do not condone the use of any performance enhancing drugs by myself or any other professional athlete, and willingly accept the penalties and fines that have been handed down to me by the California State Athletic Commission and those of the StrikeForce/Zuffa organization. While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition. It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead StrikeForce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring. Unfortunately in the end I suffer the consequences and must accept the responsibility for my actions. I will do everything I can to show my fans that I can still compete at the professional level without the use of any prohibited substances, and ask God’s forgiveness for my mistake. MORE: Strikeforce Champ Cris Cyborg Tests Positive for Steroids For the latest Strikeforce news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Posted in: test, drug, everything i, use, cyborg

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Filed under: UFC, NewsAll drug tests administered at UFC 141 came back negative for prohibited substances, according to Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer on Monday. Every fighter on the card, except for Jon Fitch, was tested. The news is especially significant considering Alistair Overeem was tested twice on fight week and passed both times. Overeem also passed the test he took in London prior to flying to Vegas, which was asked of him by the commission after he failed to meet their out-of-competition drug test requirements in November. In a December hearing, which saw the NSAC grant Overeem a conditional license until he passed the drug test in London, the commission also announced that they will reserve the right to test Overeem one more time within the next six months. Below is a list of all the fighters tested at UFC 141: Alistair Overeem Brock Lesnar Nate Diaz Donald Cerrone Johny Hendricks Alexander Gustafsson Vladimir Matyushenko Jimy Hettes Nam Phan Ross Pearson Junior Assuncao Anthony Njokuani Danny Castillo Sean Pierson Dong Hyun Kim Jacob Volkmann Efrain Escudero Manny Gamburyan Diego Nunes Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, overeem, test, drug, commission

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This past week, the California State Athletic Commission issued a one-year suspension and $2,500 fine to Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos for failing a Dec. 17 drug test. Santos is denying she knowingly took the banned substance stanozolol and blames it on a dietary supplement she used. In our latest "Ask the Fight Doc" segment, MMAjunkie.com medical columnist and consultant Dr. Johnny Benjamin examines the excuse and explains why the drug is a popular choice among female weight-restricted athletes.

Posted in: drug, fight doc, drug test, cristiane cyborg, substance stanozolol

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Shortly after it was announced Cris “Cyborg” Santos tested positive for a banned substance, the female MMA superstar issued an official statement. Cyborg said she doesn’t take PEDs, and directed blame towards a supplement, though didn’t identify the product used. “While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition. It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead StrikeForce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring. Unfortunately in the end I suffer the consequences and must accept the responsibility for my actions.” If her story is true, it’s still important for professional athletes to always know what they are putting into their bodies at all times. Cyborg also issued an apology: “I would like to sincerely apologize to StrikeForce, the Zuffa organization, Hiroko Yamanaka and my fans for my failed drug test. I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system.” Unless Cyborg appeals and has her sentence reduced, the Brazilian Muay Thai specialist will have to serve a one-year suspension handed down by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

Posted in: time, drug, cyborg, need drugs, end i

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Fallen featherweight Cristiane Santos has come forward to face allegations of steroid use and, as it turns out, express complete accountability for her actions. Last week Santos’ name came up in connection with a failed drug test attached to her December destruction of Hiroko Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal. As a result she was not only suspended by the CSAC for a year but fined $2,500, handed a “No Contest” instead of a win, and ultimately stripped of her Strikeforce belt. Strikeforce/UFC Bosses Comment on Santos’ Failed Drug Test “While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition,” wrote Santos in a statement through MMAPrime. “It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead Strikeforce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring.” “I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system,” the disgraced fighter continued. “I do not condone the use of any performance enhancing drugs by myself or any other professional athlete, and willingly accept the penalties and fines that have been handed down to me by the California State Athletic Commission and those of the Strikeforce/Zuffa organization.” Santos closed by vowing to come back and prove it was a one-time error and not habitual use, saying, “I will do everything I can to show my fans that I can still compete at the professional level without the use of any prohibited substances, and ask God’s forgiveness for my mistake.” “Cyborg” holds an overall record of 10-1 with 8 TKOs. Due to the suspension she will now spend another year on the sidelines after already missing seventeen months prior to last month’s match-up with the break stemming from contractual issues and an overall lack of challengers for Santos’ featherweight belt. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: strikeforce, drug, everything i, drug test, use

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This is a guest editorial by Rosi Sexton, top 10 pound-for-pound women's MMA fighter and osteopath. When I saw the news on twitter last night, I felt a little like a ten year old whose parents have just admitted that Santa Claus doesn't exist. A tiny bit disappointed, but mostly relieved that now we can all stop pretending. I'm not going to talk about Cyborg, though. Partly because we haven't yet heard her side of the story, but also because she's only the tip of a very large iceberg. It's the issues that the story raises that I'm interested in. To people within MMA, it usually comes as no surprise when a fighter tests positive for steroids. It's generally accepted that there are a lot of fighters out there who use banned performance enhancing drugs (estimates range from "a significant minority" to "almost all"), but most of the time they get past the limited testing that is put in place either by timing their steroid use carefully, using masking agents or both. It's only when someone makes a mistake that they get caught. Because of this, performance enhancing drugs are often seen as a non-issue. "They're all taking it anyway, so what's the problem?". The problem is that this is a combat sport. In most sports, the consequences of failure might be measured in pride, status or money. In MMA, you add physical damage and injury. In female MMA, for example, you can find yourself watching a fighter who is essentially (in hormonal terms) male, beat up a woman. It often makes for uncomfortable viewing. It's bad for the sport, and most of all it's bad for the fighters. It sends the message that following the rules is penalized by getting your face smashed in. Nobody doubts that those fighters who use illegal substances still have to work hard. To be amongst the best in the world, that's essential. But there are physiological limits to what can be achieved with hard work alone. At the top levels, where most fighters are already working close to their maximum training capacity, and everyone has solid technique, the added advantage that performance enhancing drugs can give is significant and in some cases insurmountable. For fighters, then, there's a huge incentive to exploit any loopholes. You might not want to cheat to gain an advantage over your opponents, but at the same time you don't want to be at a disadvantage if "everyone else is doing it". Tougher penalties alone won't do. The testing procedures used in MMA are (on the whole) outdated enough that fighters are confident that with a little knowledge they can avoid getting caught. Occasionally, a fighter is careless or unlucky enough to test positive and receives a fine and a ban as a token sacrifice to the gods of public opinion and sporting legitimacy. Meanwhile, other fighters breathe a sigh of relief that on this occasion it wasn't them. Everything carries on as normal. This approach isn't working. So what's the answer? We have a choice to make. We can decide that we want steroids out of the sport. In that case, athletic commissions, governing bodies, promotions alike need to work together to implement gold standard drug policies. The World Anti-Doping Agency work with sporting organizations and produce model rules and protocols for testing. As a minimum, off season random testing of fighters is essential. It might never be possible to get rid of performance enhancing drugs entirely, but it's possible to tighten the net and change the balance between risk and reward in favour of the clean athlete. Some of the athletic commissions are starting to move towards stricter testing, but much more still needs to be done. Or, we can decide that all this is too much trouble. The point is often made that MMA is more a business than a sport, and it's true that many casual fans are more concerned about seeing exciting fights than what the athletes are taking before they get into the cage. If this is the route we want to go down then we should change the rules and allow athletes to use these drugs freely, without the stigma of "cheating" attached. Of course there are risks and side effects - but we could at least have an honest, grown up discussion about the medical issues, without the hypocrisy that surrounds the subject at the moment. Athletes could make an informed decision to balance the risks of the drugs against the risks of being the one not taking them. Neither set of risks should be underestimated. As a fighter I've never used steroids, and I don't want to start now. Of the two options, I'd prefer to see an improved standard of testing. But the important thing for the sport and everyone involved in it, is that we come clean about it one way or the other. Rosi's blog can be read here and you can visit the Combat Sports Clinic for her osteopathic work.

Posted in: mma, fighter, sport, drug, testing

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Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos has been the center of MMA discussion since the CSAC announced her positive drug test for stanazolol yesterday. She has been stripped of her title, and likely caused her division to be folded. Today, she released a statement through MMAprime.TV: "I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system. I do not condone the use of any performance enhancing drugs by myself or any other professional athlete, and willingly accept the penalties and fines that have been handed down to me by the California State Athletic Commission and those of the StrikeForce/Zuffa organization.""While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition. It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead StrikeForce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring." "Unfortunately in the end I suffer the consequences and must accept the responsibility for my actions.""I will do everything I can to show my fans that I can still compete at the professional level without the use of any prohibited substances, and ask God's forgiveness for my mistake." Is this the end for Cyborg? She's suspended for a year, likely has no division to come back to, and if she was having problems cutting to 145, 135 seems out of reach.

Posted in: end, drug, everything i, use, cyborg

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I find it hilarious that people feel the need to make the statement of 'Sure, I'll date Cyborg.' As if that option will ever be on the table for the rest of your life. If you were to combine every parallel universe that has ever existed since the beginning of time, at no point will Cris Cyborg choose to ditch her husband, Evangelista Cyborg in order to try her shots with you. Don't worry, folks. You will never be in a situation to decide if you would like to be with Cris Cyborg. Let the debate end. Cris Cyborg killed the protector of Asgard in the movie Thor. Just kidding, but it does not negate the fact she effectively killed the entire Strikeforce 145 lb female division with her recent drug test returning with banned substances. Now Cris has issued a response via Facebook regarding her failed drug test, and is now blaming it on supplements. I would like to sincerely apologize to StrikeForce, the Zuffa organization, Hioko Yamanaka and my fans for my failed drug test. I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system. I do not condone the use of any performance enhancing drugs by myself or any other professional athlete, and willingly accept the penalties and fines that have been handed down to me by the California State Athletic Commission and those of the StrikeForce/Zuffa organization. While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition. It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead StrikeForce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring. Unfortunately in the end I suffer the consequences and must accept the responsibility for my actions. I will do everything I can to show my fans that I can still compete at the professional level without the use of any prohibited substances, and ask God's forgiveness for my mistake. Cris Santos - Curitiba, Brazil January 7th, 2012 Before I venture over to the Hard Rock Casino to cover tonight's Strikeforce card, I promised myself that I would remove Cris Cyborg from the official MiddleEasy Frate Trane list. [Source]

Posted in: drug, drug test, cyborg, cri, cris cyborg

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Strikeforce women's featherweight champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos has apologized for a failed drug test, but she's blaming a dietary supplement for it. As MMAjunkie.com reported on Friday, Santos was suspended one year and fined $2,500 after failing a test at a Dec. 17 Strikeforce event. Today, the 26-year-old Brazilian fighter issued a statement, though she denies she knowingly took any banned substances.

Posted in: strikeforce, test, supplement, drug, drug test

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It was revealed just yesterday that Cristiane Santos failed her drug test for anabolic steroids for her fight against Hiroko Yamanaka on Dec. 16, 2011, in San Diego, California. "Cyborg" was stripped of her Strikeforce women's featherweight championshipp and the entire 145-pound division is now up in the air. Now, she's released a statement to MMAPrime.TV regarding her failed test. Her claim? That she had a tough weight cut and was taking a dietary supplement that caused the positive test. Here's her side of it: "I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system. I do not condone the use of any performance enhancing drugs by myself or any other professional athlete, and willingly accept the penalties and fines that have been handed down to me by the California State Athletic Commission and those of the StrikeForce/Zuffa organization. While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition. It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead StrikeForce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring. Unfortunately in the end I suffer the consequences and must accept the responsibility for my actions. I will do everything I can to show my fans that I can still compete at the professional level without the use of any prohibited substances, and ask God's forgiveness for my mistake." More on this in just a bit.

Posted in: time, test, drug, everything i, use

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submitted by Dempspew [link] [comment]

Posted in: drug, cyborg, womens mma, dempspew link, dempspew

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Filed under: StrikeforceA day after the California State Athletic Commission announced that she failed a steroid test at her most recent fight, Cris Cyborg released a statement in which she blamed the positive test on a dietary supplement. Cyborg said through her web site that she does not use performance-enhancing drugs and that the only thing she did wrong was fail to properly inspect the ingredients in the supplement she took, which she did not identify by name. "While I was preparing myself for my last fight I was having a difficult time cutting weight and used a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition," Cyborg said. "It was never my intention to obtain an unfair advantage over Hiroko, mislead StrikeForce, the Commission or my fans. I train harder than any fighter in MMA and do not need drugs to win in the cage, and I have proven this time and time again! My only mistake is not verifying the diet aid with my doctor beforehand, and understanding that it was not approved for use in the ring. Unfortunately in the end I suffer the consequences and must accept the responsibility for my actions." Cyborg is far from the first athlete to blame a positive drug test on a supplement, and she surely won't be the last. It's probably the most common reason given for positive tests. But the bottom line is that athletes have to know what they're taking or suffer the consequences, and Cyborg said she knows that. "I would like to sincerely apologize to StrikeForce, the Zuffa organization, Hiroko Yamanaka and my fans for my failed drug test," she said. "I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: test, supplement, drug, drug test, cyborg

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Women’s MMA superstar Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos failed a pre-fight drug test and has been stripped of her Strikeforce title. Cyborg reportedly tested positive for stanozolol — an anabolic steroid — during a urine test carried out by CSAC. The news has turned women’s MMA upside down, as Cyborg is a pound-for-pound best in a relatively shallow talent pool. Here is what CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd had to say in an official statement: “Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters. Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use.” Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker also released a statement following the announcement: “STRIKEFORCE has not seen the test results regarding Ms. Santos. However, we have a consistent and strong stance against any use of performance-enhancing drugs. We also have a long history of supporting effective drug testing of athletes by authorized regulatory bodies. Therefore, we will closely monitor the matter and will work with the California State Athletic Commission regarding any information we may be asked to provide. We also recognize that Ms. Santos has administrative process rights under California law and we hope that she is not prejudged before she has the opportunity to exercise such rights.” There have been countless rumors and speculation regarding Cyborg’s possible PED use — and even if she appeals, MMA fans are already jumping off the bandwagon.

Posted in: test, drug, cyborg, urine test, anabolic

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Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos has tested positive for steroids following her 16-second TKO of Hiroko Yamanaka in December, resulting in a one year suspension, $2,500 fine, and the win being changed to a no decision. The California State Athletic Commission announced the positive test for stanozolol metabolites on Friday. Santos can appeal the drug test, but it’s not yet clear if she will. “Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters,” CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd said in a press release. “Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use.” UFC President Dana White said Santos has been stripped of the title in an appearance on ESPN Radio and the future of the 145-pound division in Strikeforce now appears to be in jeopardy. “We were going to hold that division and just do fights with ‘Cyborg’ whenever there was a new contender,” White said. “She’s getting stripped of the title. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.” Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said in his own statement on Strikeforce.com that the promotion has a strong stance against performance enhancing drugs, but reminded fans that Santos still has the right to appeal. “[Strikeforce has] a consistent and strong stance against any use of performance-enhancing drugs.  We also have a long history of supporting effective drug testing of athletes by authorized regulatory bodies. Therefore, we will closely monitor the matter and will work with the California State Athletic Commission regarding any information we may be asked to provide. We also recognize that Ms. Santos has administrative process rights under California law and we hope that she is not prejudged before she has the opportunity to exercise such rights,” Coker said. Cyborg (10-1) won the title with a first-round TKO of Gina Carano in 2009 and defended it over Marloes Coenen and Jan Finney in 2010 before sitting out for 18 months due to contract issues before knocking out Yamanaka in just 16-seconds on the Showtime-televised card in December. For the latest Strikeforce news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Posted in: strikeforce, right, drug, california state, cyborg

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On one side of the cage is Brock Lesnar, the 266-pound mammoth of a man who formerly held the UFC heavyweight championship and is the undisputed biggest box office draw in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA). On the other side is Alistair Overeem, an equally large beast who feasts on horse meat and tomato cans the world over. He's a Strikforce, DREAM and K-1 champion with two of the most dangerous hands in the world. And then, somewhere off to the side, is the 800-pound elephant. The issue of steroids in sports is nothing new. Athletes strive to get bigger, stronger and faster in an effort to get the edge on their opponents in a competitive landscape of contests that are so physically taxing. In many ways, it's difficult to blame them. Their job demands that they be in tip-top shape at all times, no easy task for mere mortals like you and I. But, there's always been something different about Lesnar and Overeem. In Brock's case, he's had to fend off allegations his entire career. That's due, in no small part, to the fact that he was arrested in 2001 for possession of what was described as "a large amount of steroids." But, as it turned out, he was later cleared because what he had was not illegal at that time. What he had was growth hormones or, as his attorney described them, "some type of vitamin thing." Indeed, this was right around the time Lesnar was making his way into the dark world of professional wrestling, where steroids are as common as daily meals. And considering his unbelievable size -- he was billed at 6'5'' and 320-pounds -- there was no way he was going to waltz around without common folks wondering how he got to be so big. Naturally, asking him about it is no easy task. In an ESPN E:60 feature back in 2008, an interviewer simply said, "You're just so big," which prompted Lesnar to rip his microphone off and abruptly end the interview by storming off the set. He was later caught on camera saying, "I know where he was going. I've never failed a drug test." Which is an interesting way to answer a question like that, really. And it only served to further fans suspicions that Lesnar was using chemical means to attain his God-like body. This isn't to say he's never directly answered the allegations. He did so in a 2009 interview with Maxim magazine, actually, and his response at that time was controversial to say the least. "I bet you I've taken over 60 steroid tests," Brock told Maxim. "In college I had 15 random drug tests in two years. I've taken drug tests for the NFL, the WWE, the UFC. I must be pretty good at masking steroids. God gave me this body: Are you jealous of it or what? Give me a break. I got the genetics of -- not to get into racism or anything -- but I'm built like a black man. Would you say so?" No, I would not say so, but to each his own, I suppose. To this day, Lesnar can't escape the allegations. And he probably never will. But the lead-up to his UFC 141 fight against Alistair Overeem has been fascinating if, for no other reason, than for the first time in his life, his opponent is the focus of even more steroid allegations. Indeed, "The Reem" will make his debut fighting inside the Octagon, but he's no stranger to the spotlight, especially pertaining to questions about his ever-growing musculature. Unlike Lesnar, who has always had a rather thick build, Overeem used to be a scrawny light heavyweight getting shoved around by Mauricio Rua over in Pride FC. And then, over the course of several years, he grew. Massively. Incredibly. Impossibly. Here's a handy dandy picture to illustrate: From 2003 to around 2009, Overeem put on some 40 pounds worth of muscle. While that's probably possible without the aid of illegal substances, try convincing anyone in your local gym that they can pull off such a feat just by the sweat of their brows and the strength of their backs. Not unlike Lesnar, Overeem has found himself in situations that have only served to strength suspicion of him. The most recent, of course, was his apparently leaving the country when he was supposed to submit a random drug test to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). To make a long story short, "Demolition Man" was told to have a test back in two days, he promptly left the country and didn't end up getting his test back to the proper parties until nearly a month after. The ensuing hearing with the NSAC was a debacle, to put it nicely. He was ultimately granted a temporary license despite the odd circumstances surrounding the situation and given strict orders for testing over the next six months or so. It should be pointed out that Overeem tested clean, just like he always has, just like Lesnar always has. They have both never failed a drug test. And while that hasn't stopped speculation from running rampant, it's the only evidence they need. It's the Ace up their sleeve. Overeem isn't as bullish as Lesnar when it comes to answering questions about the sometimes touchy subject. Not unlike his counterpart, the Dutchman chalks up his body to good genetics. "People have accused me of steroid use since I was 17," Overeem replied when asked about it. "17 was my first fight. I was weighing in at 84 kilos, I don't know how much that is in pounds, but I was already looking like an animal then. It is a genetic thing. My body just doesn't hold any fat. My fat percentage is really low and that's why my muscles jump out. My brother is the same. ... My brother always looked good, as well. He always was ripped, always had big muscles, no fat. That's one of the amazing things. He doesn't eat that healthy, and especially a couple years back he didn't eat healthy at all, but he still was ripped. No fat. So I think that's a little bit of our secret, we have good genes. Thanks mom and dad, thanks somebody else maybe up there. We're lucky." Maybe these two monsters really do just have good genetics. Maybe they're clean as can be and the fans and pundits alike should just back off and let them be the Goliaths they already are. Of course, none of it will matter tomorrow night when they climb inside the Octagon to do battle against one another. The fans, if only for a short time, will forget about steroids and growth hormone and all that other chemical nonsense. Instead, they'll focus on two beasts charging at each other until one of them falls. Maybe that's how it should be, after all: Innocent until proven guilty. Post-fight drug tests pending.

Posted in: overeem, lesnar, test, drug, steroid

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Hard-hitting Dutchman Alistair Overeem was finally able to put some speculation to rest this week after testing negative for any illegal drug use and thus receiving clearance from the Nevada State Athletic commission to compete. Overeem’s status was originally called into question when the 31-year old was granted a conditional license in light of a missed a drug testing deadline he claimed was due to some confusion about exactly what the NSAC needed. As part of the punishment Overeem is still required to submit additional drug tests over the next six months but this week’s news was certainly a relief to fans, as well as a certain UFC executive. Overeem Remains Positive in Wake of Drug Testing Flub “Overeem is ready to go!!! Lesnar vs. Overeem is on,” exclaimed Dana White on Twitter once word broke of the negative result. Overeem will face Brock Lesnar on December 30 in headlining action at UFC 141. The winner of their bout will be awarded a shot at divisional champion Junior dos Santos. PHOTO CREDIT – K-1 Tweet

Posted in: overeem, alistair overeem, brock lesnar, drug, nevada state

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Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal" drug test results are in from the California Athletic Commission (CSAC), which today confirmed that all eight fighters tested for illegal/banned drugs of abuse after competing at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, Calif., on Sat., Dec. 17, 2011, have all passed with flying colors. Lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, as well as his opponent in the main event of the evening, Jorge Masvidal, were among those who were put under the microscope, as well as Gegard Mousasi, Ovince St. Preux, Cristiane Santos, Hirako Yamanaka, Devin Cole and Gabriel Salinas. Each competitor was screened for drugs of abuse such as cocaine and marijuana, among others, the results for which all returned negative. Additional testing for performance-enhancing substances such as steroids was also taken; however, those results won't be in for at least another two weeks. Stay tuned. "El Nino" outlasted "GameBred" to earn a unanimous decision after five rounds of action to retain his 155-pound title. In the co main event of the evening, 145-pound female champion, "Cybrog," annihilated yet another poor soul, erasing Yamanaka in a furious 16-second assault. "Melendez vs. Masvidal" also featured a 205-pound clash between former division champion, Gegard Mousasi, looking to topple the upstart Ovince St. Preux to earn the opportunity to compete for the light heavyweight title that Dan Henderson vacated earlier this year. MIssion accomplished. For complete results and coverage of Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal," which attracted a crowd of 2,995 for a live gate of $154,075, click here.

Posted in: result, vs, drug, masvidal, melendez

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The California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday informed MMAWeekly.com of the fighters that were drug tested for last Saturday’s Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal.

Posted in: strikeforce, fighter, drug, california state, abuse tests

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Alistair Overeem has passed his UFC 141 pre-fight drug test, clearing the former Strikeforce heavyweight title-holder to face former UFC champ Brock Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141 next Friday, Dec. 30 in Las Vegas. “Overeem is ready to go!!! Lesnar vs Overeem is on!” UFC President Dana White announced on Twitter. “The urine sample submitted by Mr. Overeem in the U.K. on 12/14 came back negative for all prohibited substances,” NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer said Tuesday. “The urine sample allegedly submitted by Mr. Overeem to his doctor on 12/7 was apparently returned to Mr. Overeem’s doctor untested.” Overeem was required to undergo extra drug tests before and after the UFC 141 main event in order to be licensed by the NSAC after delays in his out-of-competition drug test. The Lesnar-Overeem winner is expected to be the first challenger for UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, who claimed the title with a 64-second knockout of Cain Velasquez at the debut UFC on Fox event last month. For complete coverage of UFC 141 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, drug, urine sample, mr overeem

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Dr. Margaret Goodman explains why she created VADA (the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency) and what's wrong with the current drug testing protocols in place by the various state athletic commissions.

Posted in: drug, drug testing, testing, protocol, antidoping agency

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Drug tests from last month’s UFC on Fox 1 event have come back clean for headliners Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez as well as the 12 other fights who were tested, the California State Athletic Commission recently confirmed. Velasquez, dos Santos, Ben Henderson, Clay Guida, Ricardo Lamas, Clay Harvison, Mackens Semerzier, Cub Swanson, DaMarques Johnson, and Robert Peralta tested clean for both performance enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse, while Aaron Rosa, Matt Lucas, Pablo Garza and Dustin Poirier were tested only for drugs of abuse and passed. Dos Santos knocked out the champion Velasquez in just 64-seconds to claim the UFC heavyweight title, while Henderson topped Guida in the co-headliner to earn a shot at lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at February’s UFC 144 event in Japan. Click here to check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete UFC on Fox 1 coverage. Pictured: Junior dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, do, velasquez, drug, velasquez dos

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All fighters at UFC on FOX 1 passed testing for recreational and performance-enhancing drugs.

Posted in: ufc, fighter, fox, drug, performanceenhancing

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All drug tests conducted at this past month's landmark UFC on FOX 1 event came back clean. A California State Athletic Commission official today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com that tests for both recreational drugs and steroids/performance-enhancing drugs all were passed. UFC on FOX took place Nov. 12 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Posted in: ufc, fox, test, drug, drug tests

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submitted by kingpape26 [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: training, drug, attention, drug test, hos attention

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Alistair Overeem will challenge Brock Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141 on Dec. 30, 2011, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And he'll do it with a conditional license. That's because "Demolition Man" blew up the pre-fight drug test scheduled in advance of his "Sin City" throwdown, which he attributes to an absent-minded assistant. After a hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) earlier this week, Overeem was presented with a new timetable to provide his manly specimen. While he was filling his cup with Dutch lemonade, "The Reem" took the time to tell Yahoo! Sports that he doesn't have a problem with random, pre-fight drug testing -- he just wants it for everyone and not a select few. "I'll be tested four times in three weeks this month, so after this, there cannot be any more doubts. The thing is, I've fought in the States before and every time I got tested, I've never tested positive. So I don't where all [the speculation about steroid use] is coming from. I'm too focused on my career, and I don't really pay attention to these messages. I cannot judge other fighters, though of course sometimes you have your suspicions. Do I think testing should be [done] more [frequently]? Yes, I do think it should be done more, but I think it should be applied to all athletes and not just a randomly select few." Like his pasty-faced opponent at UFC 141, Overeem has long been the subject of a steroids debate, despite never failing a drug test. A majority of the finger pointing came after his move from light heavyweight, where he was a slim and trim 205-pounds during his PRIDE fight campaign. What a difference a few years (and a few pallets of horse meat) makes. The former Strikeforce heavyweight champion will undergo a battery of tests before and after UFC 141. If he passes them with flying colors (again), will the court of public opinion finally clear him of any wrongdoing? Or will it remain a constant that any muscular fighter, in the eyes of haters and couch potatoes, is "obviously juicing?" What say you?

Posted in: ufc, overeem, drug, testing, i dont

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Filed under: UFCUFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem flew from the Netherlands to London late last night all for -- depending on how well hydrated he is -- what will probably amount to less than a few minutes of work. That's because priority number one for Overeem this week is to take a drug test that the Nevada State Athletic Commission will accept, and then to return to training as soon as possible. And he does mean as soon as possible. Speaking from his hotel room in London late last night, Overeem outlined his plan to take the test and then immediately return to his training camp in the Netherlands, where he'll remain until just after Christmas in order to spend as much time with his ailing mother as possible before he meets Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 on December 30. "It is unfortunate that all this stuff is happening at the same time, but then again, if you operate on this level it's hardly ever perfect," Overeem said of a hectic week that included defending his recent travels to the NSAC on Monday and battling questions about whether he'd intentionally tried to avoid a drug test. "There's always something going on." NSAC executive director Keith Kizer confirmed to MMA Fighting that Overeem had taken the drug screening at approximately noon London time on Wednesday. Kizer also said the NSAC had never dealt with an issue quite like this one, though the commission is still expecting to receive the results of Overeem's December 7 screening -- a test deemed insufficient because it was taken through Overeem's personal doctor in the Netherlands and then sent to a lab in Germany -- some time later this week. Though Overeem was granted a conditional license by the NSAC, it's contingent on his drug screenings coming back clear before his UFC debut, and on him taking two more random tests at his own expense in the next six months -- a schedule that will make him "the most tested fighter," Overeem said. At Monday's hearing, much of the blame for the communication breakdown that resulted in Overeem missing his original drug test deadline was heaped on Overeem's assistant, Collin Lam. But now that he's had a chance to assess the situation more fully, Overeem said, he stands by Lam's efforts. "I've recently seen the communications, and in my opinion, my assistant was working to the best of his ability. I didn't have a direct line of communication with the commission. They could have contacted me directly and given me instructions." It's just one distraction of many for Overeem of late. The Dutch heavyweight split with his longtime management at Golden Glory in September over what he termed a "breach of trust," and then moved his training camp to Las Vegas' Xtreme Couture gym to prepare for Lesnar. In November, however, Overeem left Vegas to return home to the Netherlands to see to his ailing mother, who he said is dealing with the after-effects of "harsh treatments" for cancer. "My mother's situation, of course, it's hard," said Overeem. "She had cancer before two times. Two tumors, the worst ones, were the most aggressive ones. She had the most harsh treatment you can imagine. But the thing is, physically she's not fully recovered, [and] mentally...she had a test recently where they found some suspicious cells, so mentally she's very nervous. That's a little bit hard. That alone is a bit of a distraction, but I have gotten all my training in." Of course, it's not easy to prepare for a fight with a former NCAA wrestling champion back home in Holland, Overeem admitted. There might be plenty of skilled kickboxers hanging around, but the former Strikeforce heavyweight champ had to fly in some other sparring partners, he said. It's a lot to deal with, and all less than three weeks before what will likely be one of the biggest fights of his career. But then, Overeem said, he asked for this. The UFC gave him the option of sitting out and facing the winner of the Junior dos Santos-Cain Velasquez fight in November, but Overeem chose to fight Lesnar instead, simply because he wants to "be active," he said. "I want to get in there. That's the way the fans see you do your thing." Now that the latest round of tests are complete, all he can do now is wait for the NSAC to get the results while he tries to make the most of the time he has left in the gym. MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani contributed to this report. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: time, overeem, test, training, drug

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All 18 fighters who were tested at "The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale" were clean, including main event fighters Michael Bisping and Jason "Mayhem" Miller.

Posted in: fighter, michael, bisping, drug, finale

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I think we all need to give a giant congratulatory dinner plate to LayzieTheSavage for smuggling his phone inside the Nevada State Athletic Commission courtroom and live streaming the entire process until his cellular device died. At the peak, I counted 2684 people simultaneously viewing his UStream of the NSAC hearing just before his phone battery went into the after life. So we learned that a few members of the NSAC panel were under the impression that Alistair Overeem's fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 is his heavyweight debut. We also learned that if you tweet LayzieTheSavage while he's on his phone, you hear a disturbing buzzing noise, reminiscent of two robots climaxing while having intercourse. Most importantly, we discovered that Alistair Overeem has been granted a license to participate in UFC 141, but under a few nagging conditions. First, Alistair Overeem must submit a clean drug test within 72 hours of tonight and when he lands in the US for UFC 141. The previous drug test that Overeem submitted on December 7th must also come back sparkling clear. The NSAC also enforced two random drug test to be conducted within six months after UFC 141. Aside from forcing Overeem to urinate in a plastic cup multiple times in the next few days, everything seems to be on track for UFC 141. However, it's rumored that Frank Mir is patiently waiting to replace Overeem in case something happens between now and December 30th. The drama, you can cut it with a dull butter knife.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, alistair overeem, drug, drug test

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LAS VEGAS - For now, at least, former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem will face Brock Lesnar in the main event of December's UFC 141 event. The Nevada State Athletic Commission today granted Overeem a conditional license to face Lesnar on Dec. 30, subject to a pre-fight drug test to be submitted in Europe within the next 72 hours, as well as an additional screen submitted in the U.S. when the Dutch heavyweight arrives for the contest. Overeem's conditional license also includes two post-fight drug screen orders, to be completed less than six months after the bout.

Posted in: overeem, brock lesnar, drug, license, dutch heavyweight

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There were 18 fighters drug tested at the TUF 14 Finale. The NSAC released the results on Monday.

Posted in: result, fighter, tuf, drug, finale

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All 18 fighters who underwent drug testing at this month's The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer today e-mailed the drug-testing results to MMAjunkie.com. The TUF 14 Finale took place Dec. 3 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Bantamweight John Dodson and featherweight Diego Brandao were crowned the "TUF 14" champs.

Posted in: tuf, drug, drug testing, finale, drugtesting results

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Chris Leben has been suspended by the UFC for one year for use of painkillers. Instead of dismissing Leben, it appears the UFC will assist Leben in trying to rehabilitate the middleweight. According to the USA Today, Leben tested positive for Oxycodone and Oxymorphone on November 5th. Leben lost to Mark Munoz that day at UFC 138. Leben also tested positive for the steroid Stanozolol at UFC 89. Ironically, both tests, and fights, occurred in Birmingham, England. For his part, Leben acknowledged his problem and released a statement through the UFC: “I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and sport of mixed martial arts. I’m learning that I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I can’t succeed in the Octagon or in life behaving this way. I’ve got to make some real changes over the next year and I’m going to focus on getting my life and career back on track. Again, I’m sorry to the UFC and fans that’ve supported me since my days on The Ultimate Fighter.” Payout Perspective: For as much as this is a personal problem for Leben, it is a public relations issue for the UFC. Both Leben and the UFC handled it with tact, openness and there seems to be hope that there will be a future for Leben in the UFC. We have seen in the past the UFC dismiss fighters that have failed drug tests. In this case, while Leben is a repeat offender, the UFC has shown support for him. The fact that Leben released a statement through the UFC shows Leben has accepted his problem and is willing to receive help. Via the USA Today: “If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him,” Zuffa President Dana White said Monday in a statement. “We want to see him succeed not only in the Octagon, but in his personal life.” Perhaps its the fact that the UFC is now partners with Fox and there are more eyes on how the UFC handles drug testing issues. It could be the type of drug that Leben tested positive. Many professional wrestling fans realize that pain killers have been a major reason for the deaths of many performers. Certainly, the UFC could have released Leben citing his failed drug test and the fact that he is a multiple offender. Yet, from a public relations standpoint, it seems callous to drop Leben, an individual with a self-destructive past, without offering some type of help. It will be interesting to see if this will be the start of a UFC-type Wellness Program similar to the WWE program. For more info on the subject, Fight Opinion has a detailed article with text of an interview Dr. Johnny Benjamin did with Mauro Ranallo on the use of pain killers in MMA.

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, leben, pain killers

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When Chris Leben showed up for work in England looking all jacked up and red like a reindeer's dick (yes, we've officially kicked off the xmas-flavored penis joke season), many made jokes about the last time Leben fought in the UK. That was against Michael Bisping in 2008 and not only did Leben not put his fist through Bisping's face ... he didn't pass his drug test either.Stanozolol was the culprit last time and we can laugh about that one because hey steroids are kinda funny with the bitch tits and shrunken balls and all that. Stanozolol even has the LOL right there in the name! But now Chris Leben has failed yet another drug test in Britain, and this time it's for oxycodone and oxymorphone. Usually when you've got guys failing drug tests for painkillers, that's a sign of opiate addiction. LOL? Not so much.So say goodbye to Chris Leben, who is now serving a one year suspension from the UFC. Let's hope he takes the year to soak up some sun in Hawaii, drink out of a coconut or three, and get that oxy issue taken care of. Painkillers have fucked up the careers of a lot of fighters. Let's hope they don't screw Chris's up any more than they already have.

Posted in: test, chris leben, drug, chri, leben

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Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight fighter Chris Leben has been suspended for one year after failing a drug test.

Posted in: year, test, drug, drug test, leben

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Oops, he did it again. Chris Leben has been suspended for one year by the UFC for failing his drug test following his loss to Mark Munoz at UFC 138 this past Nov. 5, 2011, in Birmingham, England. Leben tested positive for Oxycodone and Oxymorphine, two subscription painkillers.  Here's what UFC President Dana White had to say about the personal demons that have plagued Leben throughout his mixed martial arts career: "I like Chris and I want him to do well, but based on his actions, he's been suspended for one year. If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him. We want to see him succeed not only in the Octagon, but in his personal life." This is the second time Leben has failed a drug test, the first coming after his unanimous decision loss to Michael Bisping following UFC 89 back in Oct. 2008. That event, perhaps coincidentally, was also held in Birmingham, England. Included in the UFC report announcing the drug test failure is a statement from Leben himself, who takes responsibility for his actions and accepts the punishment handed down to him. "I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and sport of mixed martial arts. I'm learning that I'm my own worst enemy sometimes. I can't succeed in the Octagon or in life behaving this way. I've got to make some real changes over the next year and I'm going to focus on getting my life and career back on track. Again, I'm sorry to the UFC and fans that've supported me since my days on The Ultimate Fighter." Because there is no drug testing overseas due to a lack of sanctions from athletic commissions, the UFC typically takes the matter in its own hands, both in testing and any and all ensuing punishment. This being his second offense, the powers that be felt an entire year away from the sport was in order. In the days leading up to UFC 138, Leben had trouble cutting weight for the contest, reportedly dropping 21 pounds in just 24 hours in order to go ahead with the bout. He eventually lost via second round technical knockout following a doctor stoppage via cut. The 19 other fighters who competed on the card and were tested all passed with flying colors, according to the UFC.

Posted in: ufc, year, drug, drug test, leben

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Monday revealed that middleweight standout Chris Leben has been suspended for failing his drug test following UFC 138.

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, drug test, leben

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It hasn’t been a good month for UFC middleweight Chris Leben. The Ultimate Fighter alumni was knocked out of title contention at UFC 139 with a loss to Mark Munoz and today the company announced that Leben has been suspended for a year following testing positive for Oxycodone and Oxymorphone after the bout. With the event taking place in England, UFC officials handled the drug testing independently. Speaking to UFC.com, president Dana White said, “I like Chris and I want him to do well, but based on his actions, he’s been suspended for one year,” UFC President Dana White said. “If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him. We want to see him succeed not only in the Octagon, but in his personal life.” Leben also released a statement via the organizations website saying, “I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and sport of mixed martial arts. I’m learning that I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I can’t succeed in the Octagon or in life behaving this way. I’ve got to make some real changes over the next year and I’m going to focus on getting my life and career back on track. Again, I’m sorry to the UFC and fans that’ve supported me since my days on The Ultimate Fighter.” This marks the second time Leben has been suspended after failing a drug test in England. The first came back in October 2008 when he tested positive for Stanozolol in his loss against Michael Bisping. He was held out of action for nine months and fined 1/3 of his fight purse for that offense. All other 19 competitors drug tested from the November 5th event passed. *PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*

Posted in: ufc, i ’m, year, drug, leben

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UFC 139 drug test results are in from the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), who yesterday confirmed that all fighters competing on the "Henderson vs. Shogun" pay-per-view card were tested for illegal/banned substances -- and have all passed with flying colors. While each competitor was screened for drugs of abuse like cocaine and marijuana, among others, the test for performance enhancing drugs (PED's) like steroids, have not yet been released. Results from these battery of tests are expected in approximately two weeks. "Henderson vs. Shogun" featured an epic five round war of attrition between former PRIDE stars and UFC light heavyweight contenders Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua. In the co-main event, Wanderlei Silva smashed his way back into the win column with a second round slaughter of San Shou striker Cung Le. Ryan Bader, Miguel Torres, Stephan Bonnar, Urijah Faber and Martin Kampmann also picked up victories at the "Shark Tank." For complete UFC 139 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

Posted in: ufc, result, mauricio rua, test, drug

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Half the UFC 139 drug tests have come back clean.The California State Athletic Commission, which oversaw the event, revealed the results of the recreational...

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, drug tests, cleanthe

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All 17 fighters who submitted drug samples at UFC 137 this past October were clean, including main event winner Nick Diaz.

Posted in: ufc, fighter, drug, october, drug samples

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All 17 post-fight drug screens came back negative following UFC 137, the Nevada State Athletic Commission announced Thursday.

Posted in: ufc, drug, nevada state, thursday, screen

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Nearly the entire UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz fight card was tested for drugs of abuse and performance enhancing substances.

Posted in: ufc, fighter, drug, fighter drug, abuse

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All 17 fighters who underwent drug testing at this past month's UFC 137 event tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs and recreational/drugs of abuse. Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer today e-mailed the drug-testing results to MMAjunkie.com. UFC 137 took place Oct. 29 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas with a Nick Diaz vs. B.J. Penn pay-per-view headliner.

Posted in: ufc, las vegas, drug, drug testing, drugtesting results

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Given that Nick Diaz is a self-professed fan of marijuana, it is hardly surprising he was selected for a  pre-event drug test ahead of this weekend’s...

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, test, drug, selfprofessed fan

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There's not much more disheartening things to hear or read than to find out a person brimming over with talent is wasting away to the disease of drug addiction. Think of people like Curt Flood, Heath Ledger, Lawrence Taylor and Amy Winehouse. So much talent and potential eaten away by an ugly cancerous addiction to drugs. To watch athletes especially succumb to such a disease, is probably one of the single most dichotomous events to witness on our planet. On the outside these guys like Paulo Filho appear strong, healthy and exhibit an air of confidence and mettle that we the fans admire and aspire to find a way to duplicate within ourselves. But on the inside, some of these people we look at as superhero-esque human beings are battling with their own wars with inner demons like anxiety, depression and self doubt. Over the years, we have been saddened to know that Paulo Filho an amazingly talented fighter, has been dealing with his own personal ongoing struggle with depression and drug addiction. The battle has time and time again thwarted his potential climb to greatness in MMA. Sadly, it is being reported that Filho has been once again dealt a heavy blow in his battle with drug addiction. Earlier this week according to Portal do Vale Tudo, Filho was hospitalized due to an apparent drug overdose on the drug Rohypnol. A close friend of Filho's released a statement to the Brazilian news source stating that Filho was taking close to 60 doses of Rohypnol per day. Here's a rough translation of the letter submitted to Portal do Vale Tudo via a UG member: "I don’t want to debate this situation any longer, but I can’t watch idly as Paulao, or someone representing him, slanders me. Due to everything I’ve been through with Paulao, I can affirm that he is not well and does not go one day without taking Roupinal and Potenei. All one needs to do is go up to him to see the explicit needle marks on both of his arms. Paulao must be hospitalized immediately, or else he will die.I did what was possible and even impossible in order to free him from his addictions, but I was unsuccessful. Even his mother knows I speak the truth, just like all of his closest friends do. I feel sad, because his illness has made him turn against all those who have tried to help him. It is necessary to clarify that I never said that Paulao owed R $20 thousand in Campos, but that his mother told me that he owed certain amounts in Niteroi, and that the group that has helped him until now would unite in order to help him pay.He alleges that he has no received anything from me, but he purchases R$ 10 thousand worth of dogs, and R$ 8 thousand more worth of roosters in Campos. Everything was paid to Paulao, and whatever he decided to buy is his problem. I will not give him one more Real (brazilian currency). I already spent a lot on him. He said he had a monthly allowance/help. Where does you think that came from? All his expenditure came directly or indirectly from me.Paulao arrived in Campos with one change of clothes, and taking 60 doses of Rohypnol and 4 vials of Potenai together per day. I wish I filmed the reaction of the first doctor I took him to when the doctor was told of the daily dosages. It a miracle that nothing has happened to him yet. Paulao has refused to take any alternative medicines instead of Potenai. I did everything, I gave him food, medical assistance, psychiatrist, I allowed him to stay in my family’s house, and he was treated as a son by all. I spent days hiding medications from him so that he would not take them, in an attempt to reduce his dosages.I slept on the floor by his side, with the lights on since he cannot sleep in the dark. Actually I did not sleep, I napped since he does not sleep. I spent night after night in this routine, and I believe no one would have done the same. I consider him my brother, I don’t know why he did this to me. He knows how much I make, and I have ways to prove it. What was discounted from his purse and not passed on, were the plane tickets and his purse bonuses. That was not done by me, but was done by the event itself.I don’t want to be paid, but it is him who owes me, and he owes me more than money, he owes me his life. I can’t charge him for that however, because he cannot repay that, because in my opinion, life is repaid through gratitude and not with money. He is being ungrateful, saying the same things, that he is clean, that no one pays him, that all who help him or who have helped him owe him… it is the same story for more than 10 years. Two weeks ago he gave me the biggest emotional scare, and had to buy 4 cases of Rohypnol. I have witnesses to all of the bills I have paid and money I gave for him, and they are people that helped him together with myself, genuine and sober people like me. I will affirm it again: if he does not accept hospitalization (rehab) his life will have a tragic and sad end." It has not yet been announced if this will keep Filho from fighting in his November 26th KSW 17 scheduled bout with Mamed Khalidov in Poland. [source]

Posted in: ’t, addiction, drug, filho, paulao

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When the NFL player's union agreed to accept blood testing for potential HGH use, a funny thing happened: they said "nevermind, no we don't". The NFL case is a strange one, and much more complicated than can be summarized here. But the issue for the union came down to not liking the odds of a false positive: which were 1 in 10, 000. However, anti-doping officials support the accuracy of the new HGH tests, which rely on understanding isoform ratios. "The consensus ... is that this test is a well-validated, scientifically reliable test which extends the window of detection and would also be important to implement," Tygart told the AP following a separate anti-doping and ethics symposium Monday in London...He said the biomarker test had been supported by more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Perhaps feeling emboldened by the latest in testing, anti-doping agencies appear to be sending a message with the move to work diligently with law enforcement agencies for the 2012 Olympics: Intelligence gathered from everyone from cleaning staff to customs officials will help authorities to target drug testing at the athletes, sports and nations most likely to cheat at the London 2012 Olympic Games, anti-doping experts said on Monday... ...UKAD and its global umbrella group the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) are primarily focused on testing, catching and deterring drug cheats, but both groups are increasingly working in law enforcement agencies such as Interpol to gather and use intelligence about the supply and trafficking of doping drugs. One of methods noted in the AP feed is use of 'biological passports': considered by many to be the most reliable way to detect PED use (though with much debate). As Richard Moore, in Focus' Summer Issue explains, "Rather than single tests, samples are taken continually, allowing scientists to look for deviations from a baseline that may indicate something suspicious is taking place...." "...a key parameter that's monitored is the concentration of red blood cells, which as a percentage of blood volume typically measures around 40 to 45 percent in men, and 35 to 40 percent in woman. Doping techniques, such as the injection of the hormone erythropoeitin (EPO) or blood transfusions, act to artificially boost the number of red blood cells, improving the body's ability to transport oxygen. An individidual's blood values vary naturally, with the concentration of red blood cells diminishing through fatigue druing a three-week event like the Tour. But such fluctuations tend to occur with certain limits. The passport can reveal abnormalites, even when there's no discernible trace of the doping method." Essentially, it's a longitudinal way of detecting drug use by looking at the ratio of mature to immature blood cells: in a normal body a high number of mature blood cells should also show a high number of immature cells (reticulocytes). On a biological passport graph, a normal athlete's blood levels will show a steady decline, while a doper's will display a noticeable spike. For a much more thorough explanation, I recommend reading Ross Tucker and Jonathan Dugas' blog who expand on the biological passport in a much greater, and more informed detail. Part of what London officials call "intelligence" will be in focusing on drugs more likely to be used given the differing sports context. A beta blocker that calms the body and lowers the heart rate might be useful for a participant in Shooting. That drug has a name, and it's called Propranolol, which sure enough, has been used and has gotten its users stripped of their medals (as happened at the Beijing Olympics). Sports like boxing and gymnastics are more likely to have athletes that use diuretics, and appetite-supressants, respectively due to their associations with weight control. This is all very ambitious stuff, and when the UFC moves to FOX, it won't be long before fighters caught using PED's raise the alarm now that they will reach a larger audience, and force Zuffa to address in public, how their organization deals with drug use. Of course, there's a hypocrisy to the issue at large, and I've made my opinion (such as it is) public, but as sports at large crack down on doping, Zuffa will eventually have to take notice.   

Posted in: cell, drug, blood, blood cells, use

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Dave “Pee Wee” Herman was closing in on his bout against Mike Russow at UFC 136 when he received news that he had failed his pre-fight drug test and would not be able to fight. Herman told Clinch Gear Radio that his test had come back positive for marijuana, a drug he denied using. While Herman denied using marijuana, MMAFighting.com he did tell MMAFighting.com that he often finds himself around it. "I do not smoke marijuana. I can't say I'm not around it. I live in California. Pretty much

Posted in: test, drug, mike russow, herman, marijuana

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Dave Herman is rethinking the crowd he hangs out with between fights. In an interview today with MMAjunkie.com, the UFC heavyweight sternly denied using marijuana prior to his since-canceled fight with Mike Russow at next week's UFC 136 event. But he admitted that he was recently around those who used the drug, which may have caused him to fail a pre-fight drug test requested by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Posted in: ufc, ufc heavyweight, drug, dave herman, drug test

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UFC heavyweight Dave Herman was pulled from UFC 136 earlier this week for undisclosed reasons. Herman has stated that the reason he was pulled from UFC 136 was due to a failed drug test. Dave Herman recently spoke about the incident with Clinch Gear Radio: “Basically, I failed my drug test. I went in to get in my drug test (on Sept. 15), and a week later, [they] called me and told me they lost my urine specimen. I had to come in and redo it. That was last week. I went back in that day. And [on Wednesday], they said I failed. I said, ‘That’s impossible.’” Herman, who has never failed a drug test, has apparently recieved conflicting information from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in regards to the tests. The Department apparently alleges they never lost the sample, stating that they just required two tests, one for drugs of abuse and one for PEDs. Which would be a standard procedure for pre-fight testing. Herman went on to say ”Texas said they never lost it and the first one [for] drugs and the second was for steroids, I don’t even smoke… I haven’t even had a beer in two month.” The UFC 136 main card bout between Herman and Mike Russow was scrapped and replaced by an anticipated rematch between Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan. UFC 136 takes place next weekend in Houston, Texas. The event is headlined by a pair of title fights with lightweight champion Frankie Edgar rematching Gray Maynard and featherweight champion Jose Aldo facing Kenny Florian. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for more on this developing story and for complete coverage of UFC 136.

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Filed under: UFCDave "Pee Wee" Herman said he was "surprised" to learn he'd failed a pre-licensing drug test before his scheduled UFC 136 bout with Mike Russow, and while he insists he never ingested any banned substances, he's readying himself for a suspension just the same. Herman said he was informed on Wednesday that he'd been denied a license by the Texas commission due to a failed drug test for marijuana, though a second test for steroids came up clean, he said. "I do not smoke marijuana," Herman told MMA Fighting. "I can't say I'm not around it. I live in California. Pretty much everyone out here smokes weed. Maybe I need to pick my friends a little better. I don't know." When asked if it was his belief that simply being in the presence of marijuana smoke might have caused the positive test result, Herman replied, "Like I said, I see people smoking weed every day." Susan Stanford, of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, told MMA Fighting that medical privacy laws prevented her from disclosing any information about Herman's drug test results, but confirmed that "he was denied a license." Herman initially told Clinch Gear Radio that he'd been asked to take a second drug test after the lab where he was tested told him that it had lost his first sample. Stanford explained that the testing is done entirely through private labs, and the commission never has possession of the sample, but would have likely been informed if a sample had been lost. On Thursday, Herman told MMA Fighting that the lab had asked him to submit two separate samples so that it could test one for drugs of abuse and another for steroids. "When I talked to Texas they said that there wasn't enough of the first sample to do both tests," said Herman. "The first sample they just tested one thing and the second sample they tested something else. ...They just said the first one was positive for marijuana. The second one wasn't positive for anything." What surprised Herman most, he said, was when he read internet reports that claimed he had tested positive for both marijuana and steroids. "It got worse and worse. The first article I clicked on just quoted me from my interview and it looked pretty much right. The second one was like, '[Herman] denies use of steroids.' Then the third one was like, positive for marijuana and steroids. I'm like, how did you jump from that to that to that?" The UFC's Marc Ratner said he had no information as of yet, and hadn't seen anything on paper regarding Herman's tests or what possible repercussions he might be facing. For his part, Herman is expecting to be suspended on top of losing his chance to fight Russow in Houston on October 8. "I don't think there's anything I can really do," he said. "Obviously, this fight's already gone. Even if I go in today and pass everything, this fight's already done. Pretty much I guess I just wait. They said I'll probably have a short suspension. From researching other guys who have tested positive, the max suspension they've ever seen is 30 days. So I guess I wait 30 days and pass a drug test and try to get another fight lined up." In the meantime, Herman said he's struggling to get over the disappointment of spending weeks preparing for the fight only to see the opportunity disappear and get replaced with the threat of disciplinary action. "I was feeling good, was in really great shape," he said. "I didn't really want to get up and go to practice this morning, but I did anyway. I guess I just have a little extra time to hone everything and get better." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: test, drug, herman, sample, marijuana

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Dave Herman was unexpectedly yanked from the UFC 136 card yesterday without explanation. Injuries are typically to blame for last-minute withdrawals, but as it turns out, that’s not the case here. Dave Herman went on Clinch Gear Radio and revealed that a failed drug test for marijuana forced him off the card, but completely denied any wrongdoing. He also claims that the Texas commission told him two different stories about losing one of his samples. It’s sorta confusing, but here’s the transcription via 5thRound: “Basically, I failed my drug test. It was September 15th, I went in and submitted the first test, and then a week later [the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation] emailed me and called me and said they lost the sample and said I had to go in and do it again. I went in again that day and then [yesterday] they got the results back and they said I failed. I said, ‘That’s impossible.’ “Texas [then] said that they never lost [the initial sample], and the first one was for drugs and the second one was for steroids. They didn’t say it was for performance-enhancing drugs, they said I had marijuana. And I don’t even smoke. I haven’t even had a beer in two months.” It’s unclear if Herman is going to appeal the results or what the Texas commission’s side of the story is, but we’ll keep you posted. As for UFC 136, the Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia rematch has been promoted to the main card to fill the void Dave Herman’s bout with Mike Russow left. It’s unclear if Russow will remain on the card. Image via Daniel Herbertson for Sherdog

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Word came yesterday that the UFC 136 heavyweight fight between Dave Herman and Mike Russow had been pulled from the card. Now, Dave is saying that there is more to the story than a simple injury. Yesterday, Herman was on Clinch Gear Radio where he explained that he was removed from the card for a failed drug test. Here's a transcription of the relevant parts of the interview: I went in to give my drug test, right? And a week later they called me and said they lost my urine speciman and I had to come in and re-do it. That was last week. Like, I went back in that day and today they said I failed. And I said 'uh, that's impossible.' It was September 15, I went in and took the first test. And then a week later they e-mailed me and called me and said they lost the sample and I had to come in and do it again. So I went in to do it again that day and then today they just got the results I guess. But then I called because I've been trying to figure this out. I was like how did they lose it? What happened? I don't know. But then Texas said that they never lost it and said that they never lost it and the first test was for drugs and the second was steroids. ... They didn't say I had performance enhancing drugs, they said I had marijuana. And I don't even smoke, so yeah. Although I think the Diaz brothers do claim it is performance enhancing somehow. What is actually said here has been misreported several places. Many people have said that Herman tested positive for steroids, but he makes it clear that it was for marijuana, not any sort of PED. The confusion seems to stem from the line where Herman says that Texas told him test one was for drugs and test two for steroids, but listening to the interview makes it very clear that he is saying they were testing for different things with each test but that it was marijuana that he was popped for. I'm sure there will be more on this story over the coming days.

Posted in: day, test, drug, herman, drug test

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  Dave 'PeeWee' Herman has been removed from the UFC 136 fight with Mike Russow due to what appears to be a failed drug test. In a recent statement on Clinch Gear Radio Herman claims that he failed the test thanks to Marijuana and steroids, but in an unexpected inducing statement he vehemently denies smoking the marijuana. I can visualize the shock and awe oozing out of all of your faces right now. "Basically, I failed my drug test. I went in to get in my drug test (on Sept. 15), and a week later, they called me and told me they lost my urine specimen. I had to come in and redo it. That was last week. I went back in that day. And [on Wednesday], they told me I failed. I said, 'That's impossible.' "Texas said they never lost it and the first one [tested positive] for drugs and the second was for steroids. I don't even smoke. I haven't even had a beer in two months." Look we all believe that Micheal Jackson was not doing Billie Jean and she was not his lover, so it might be possible for us to believe Dave Herman was not doing Mary Jane. Then again it's easy to question the sobriety of anyone willing to publicly wear a shirt like the one above, go by the nickname of PeeWee and endure the speculation as to what the meaning behind that nickname really is. The UFC still has not released an official statement as to the reason behind Herman's removal from the fight with Russow, nor have they announced a replacement for the October 8th fight. [source]

Posted in: test, drug, dave herman, herman, drug test

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A failed pre-fight drug test is the reason Dave Herman was scratched from next week's UFC 136 event. As MMAjunkie.com reported Wednesday, UFC officials announced that a heavyweight bout between Herman and Mike Russow had been pulled from the Oct. 8 card, which takes place at Houston's Toyota Center. Herman subsequently told Clinch Gear Radio that failed drug tests due to marijuana and steroids are to blame, though he denies usage.

Posted in: ufc, test, drug, mike russow, herman

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Just yesterday we learned the Dave Herman vs. Mike Russow fight, which was scheduled to go down at UFC 136 on Oct. 8 in Houston, Texas, was cancelled. Now we know why. According to Herman, he was told by the commission in Texas that he failed his pre-fight drug test. I'll let the man himself tell it, as he explained to Clinch Gear Radio: "I'm still trying to (figure out what happened). I've been making phone calls but they said I failed my drug test. I don't think (this affects my future with the promotion). I've been trying to talk to the Texas commission and everything because I went in to get my drug test and a week later they called me and said they lost my urine specimen and I had to come in and redo it. That was last week. So I went back in that day and today they said I failed. I was like, 'that's impossible.' So... yeah." It's weird enough that the "Pee" from his "Wee" was misplaced but, believe it or not, it gets worse for the heavyweight veteran. By the time they found his first sample, his second sample apparently came back and he failed that one, too. Except he failed that one for a different substance. Again, let's let him relay this madness. "I went in on Sept. 15 and took the first test and then a week later they e-mailed me and called me and said they lost the sample and I had to come in and do it again. So I went in to do it again that day and then today they just got the results, I guess. But then I called, cause I've been trying to straighten this out, like how did they lose it but then they found it, like, what happened, I don't know. But then Texas said that they never lost it and the first one was for drugs and the second one was for steroids. They didn't say I had it for performance-enhancing drugs, they said I had marijuana. And I don't even smoke." Hmm. So, apparently, Herman took a test, was told his sample was lost so he went in and did another one, then was told the first sample actually wasn't lost and came back positive for marijuana while the second sample came back positive for steroids. Damn ... he's in a tight spot. Herman is innocent until proven guilty, of course, so we'll have to wait until the full details are made available on this one but let's hear your thoughts on this wacky situation.

Posted in: test, drug, herman, sample, texa

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Heavyweight Dave Herman was removed from the UFC 136 fight card on Wednesday. He says it was because of an alleged failed drug test in Texas.

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Dave Herman’s removal from the UFC 136 card was precipitated by a failed drug test.The UFC heavyweight was pulled from his fight with Mike Russow...

Posted in: ufc, drug, drug tests, mike russow, herman

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Following the latest Strikeforce event, the Ohio Athletic Commission has released the drug test results with eight fighters undergoing testing.

Posted in: strikeforce, fighter, barnett vs, strikeforce event, drug

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