Andre Pederneiras: Several fighters will move up in weight with IV ban by USADA

Fighters won’t be able to use IV for rehydration under the new UFC drug testing policy, and that might cause the transition from several athletes from a different weight class.

Under the USADA code, MMA fighters are not allowed to use more than 50 ml to rehydrate after making weight for a fight, and Nova Uniao leader Andre Pederneiras, who coaches 16 UFC fighters in Rio de Janeiro, believes that announcing this change on short notice could hurt fighters that are scheduled to compete next month.

(Update: USADA CEO Travis Tygart told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that IVs over 50ml are allowed until Oct 1 to not hurt guys with fights already scheduled.)

“It affects the rehydration process,” Pederneiras said of the IV ban during a media scrum in Rio de Janeiro. “Honestly, I don’t agree with that. You announce that on June 26 with fighters like (Jose) Aldo scheduled to fight on July 11. It’s inappropriate.

“If you announce that it’s going to happen in six months or a year from now, fighters will move up a weight class if they can’t rehydrate only drinking water. But doing it this way, you’re imposing something that we can’t agree with. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Everyone had the right to do it and it’s not something that enhances your performance.”

According to Pederneiras, fights booked for the next weeks could be in jeopardy.

“Let’s say I have an athlete with a fight booked. He can’t rehydrate with IV now? I will take him out of the fight,” he said. “Depending on who that is, I would take him off the fight. A lot of fighters will change divisions. I even think it would be better to do the weigh-in on fight day.”

Nova Uniao fighters booked to fight in July are Renan Barao and Thales Leites, both headlining UFC cards. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, forced out of a UFC 189 bout with Conor McGregor due to a rib injury, would not have trouble making weight without IVs, says Pederneiras.

“Aldo doesn’t cut much weight,” Pederneiras said. “When he’s not during a camp, he’s lighter than when he’s training. He stops taking supplements, so he’s lighter. He tends to lose weight instead of gaining weight. Aldo weighs around 160 pounds when he’s off camp.”

Nova Uniao fighters will now have to start their diets weeks prior to their UFC bouts, instead of cutting a huge amount of weight on fight week, but some could feel more comfortable moving up to a different weight class.

“If you give me time, people can start cutting weight way earlier, but some might say ‘Dede, I can’t go on a diet three months before (the fight)’, and they will move up,” he said. “Vitor ‘Shaolin’ (Ribeiro) used to cut 22 to 26 pounds, and gained 17 to 22 pounds only eating. He never did IV. Those who used to do IV won’t be able to do it anymore. If you have a fight in 10 days and can’t do it anymore, a fighter could say I’m out.”

Fighters won’t be able to use IV for rehydration under the new UFC drug testing policy, and that might cause the transition from several athletes from a different weight class.

Under the USADA code, MMA fighters are not allowed to use more than 50 ml to rehydrate after making weight for a fight, and Nova Uniao leader Andre Pederneiras, who coaches 16 UFC fighters in Rio de Janeiro, believes that announcing this change on short notice could hurt fighters that are scheduled to compete next month.

(Update: USADA CEO Travis Tygart told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that IVs over 50ml are allowed until Oct 1 to not hurt guys with fights already scheduled.)

“It affects the rehydration process,” Pederneiras said of the IV ban during a media scrum in Rio de Janeiro. “Honestly, I don’t agree with that. You announce that on June 26 with fighters like (Jose) Aldo scheduled to fight on July 11. It’s inappropriate.

“If you announce that it’s going to happen in six months or a year from now, fighters will move up a weight class if they can’t rehydrate only drinking water. But doing it this way, you’re imposing something that we can’t agree with. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Everyone had the right to do it and it’s not something that enhances your performance.”

According to Pederneiras, fights booked for the next weeks could be in jeopardy.

“Let’s say I have an athlete with a fight booked. He can’t rehydrate with IV now? I will take him out of the fight,” he said. “Depending on who that is, I would take him off the fight. A lot of fighters will change divisions. I even think it would be better to do the weigh-in on fight day.”

Nova Uniao fighters booked to fight in July are Renan Barao and Thales Leites, both headlining UFC cards. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, forced out of a UFC 189 bout with Conor McGregor due to a rib injury, would not have trouble making weight without IVs, says Pederneiras.

“Aldo doesn’t cut much weight,” Pederneiras said. “When he’s not during a camp, he’s lighter than when he’s training. He stops taking supplements, so he’s lighter. He tends to lose weight instead of gaining weight. Aldo weighs around 160 pounds when he’s off camp.”

Nova Uniao fighters will now have to start their diets weeks prior to their UFC bouts, instead of cutting a huge amount of weight on fight week, but some could feel more comfortable moving up to a different weight class.

“If you give me time, people can start cutting weight way earlier, but some might say ‘Dede, I can’t go on a diet three months before (the fight)’, and they will move up,” he said. “Vitor ‘Shaolin’ (Ribeiro) used to cut 22 to 26 pounds, and gained 17 to 22 pounds only eating. He never did IV. Those who used to do IV won’t be able to do it anymore. If you have a fight in 10 days and can’t do it anymore, a fighter could say I’m out.”