UFC welterweight Matt ‘Deep Waters’ Riddle (7-3, 1NC) spoke out today about a positive marijuana result following a victory over Chris Clements last July at UFC 149.
Riddle received a 90-day retroactive suspension and had the win changed to a “No Contest” by the Calgary Combative Sports Commission.
During an interview on The MMA Hour (@MMAFighting.com), Riddle explained the positive result, explaining that he has a medical reason for using marijuana, even going so far as to post his medical marijuana card for the State of Nevada on Twitter (@riddletuf7) this past weekend.
“The thing is, I’ve quit 12 days out before and didn’t have a problem,” he told host Ariel Helwani. “To be honest, this drug tester tested me right after the fight. I was super-dehydrated. My pee was brown. It was the pure essence of Matt Riddle. They got the concentrated Matt Riddle in a cup, and I popped.”
Riddle said that he is not addicted to marijuana, and suggested that he was using it for a variety of medical reasons, including anti-anxiety and physical pain.
“I do smoke but I’m not smoking to get stoned,” he said. “I’m smoking so I can finally relax, sit back and just not worry about things. People, maybe they did it in college one way, but for a guy like me, for a professional athlete that goes through what we go through, it’s medicine for me. Maybe for some little stoner sitting on the couch playing XBox, for him, it’s a drug. For me, it’s medicine.”
Unfortunately for Riddle, the Calgary commission was not so understanding and the “No Contest” will stand. ‘Deep Waters’ did note though, that the CCSC only changed the result to a “NC” until after the media got a hold of the story.