Justin Gaethje wants to keep mixed martial arts (MMA) a clean sport in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is out and Drug Free Sport International (DFSI) is in, starting in 2024. The partnership between USADA and UFC is dissolving more dramatically than anyone could have expected, stemming from the saga around former Lightweight and Featherweight champion, Conor McGregor’s, return to action. “The Notorious” had been out of the USADA testing pool from 2022 until this past week (Oct. 11, 2023) when USADA confirmed his re-entry.
Mixed reactions have surfaced around the news in the wake. Catching some flack this week was grappling ace, Gordon Ryan, who explained why he feels USADA’s exit from UFC will be better for the sport. Therefore, this led to a counterpoint from Bellator Middleweight champion, Johnny Eblen, who noted how it’s easy for a non-fighter to say such things.
Eblen has also been met with counterarguments in response to his tweet, supporting Ryan’s sentiments with some fans going as far as to insist that most fighters are on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) regardless of USADA’s involvement. The aforementioned current Baddest Motherf—ker (BMF) champion, Gaethje, however, doesn’t buy that belief.
“Respectfully disagree,” Gaethje replied on Twitter. “Where’s your proof it’s predominantly used? This is the statement that your entire argument is based off and your using hypothetical situations? I do not believe it is predominantly used.”
“The transparency has to come from an independent testing source,” he concluded. “The ‘retiring’ and coming back is an issue and I presume will become a bigger avenue for people trying to skirt the rules. I don’t like it. [pray emoji]”
The all-action Gaethje found himself targeted by McGregor after he won the BMF crown despite McGregor’s link to Michael Chandler throughout 2023. McGregor and Chandler coached opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter 31 (TUF) and are still expected to collide in early 2024.