Diaz Cleared By USADA, UFC 244 Goes On As Planned

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Nate Diaz has been cleared of any wrongdoing by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in connection with a recent failed drug test for trace amounts of a SARM, per a recent announcement by UFC.

As a result of USADA’s exoneration, Diaz now has a clear path to compete as scheduled at UFC 244 next month in New York City, as he takes on Jorge Masvidal for the “BMF” belt. Dana White took to Twitter after the news leaked to assure fans the bout will go on.

“The fight is ON!!! I 100% knew Nate wasn’t taking anything to cheat. #UFC244 November 2, MSG,” wrote White.

Here is the official UFC statement concerning Diaz’s failed drug test:

On October 24, 2019, Nate Diaz released a public statement regarding a recent out-of-competition test conducted by USADA. UFC has been notified by USADA that the out-of-competition test concluded that LGD-4033 was present in Mr. Diaz’s sample at an amount below the decision concentration level for this substance. USADA is reviewing the out-of-competition test as an atypical finding. Further laboratory testing conducted by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL), a WADA-accredited lab in Salt Lake City, Utah, has confirmed that two bottles of the same organic, vegan, plant-based daily multivitamin that Mr. Diaz was using were each contaminated with LGD-4033, which the evidence supports resulted in Mr. Diaz’s positive sample.

Mr. Diaz has not committed an anti-doping policy violation, has not been provisionally suspended and is not subject to any sanctions. Additionally, UFC has been informed by independent experts who have determined that there is unequivocally no appreciable performance enhancing or therapeutic benefit from the significantly limited amount of LGD-4033 that may be present in his system, which is roughly 10,000 times lower than one LGD-4033 therapeutic dose.

Diaz, 34, shocked the MMA masses earlier this week when he revealed that USADA informed him of a failed drug test for trace amounts of a banned substance. Diaz professed his innocence in a Twitter post only to withdraw himself from UFC 244’s headlining act. It left one of the biggest UFC cards of the year in limbo.

Luckily, Diaz’s cry to have his name cleared actually made a difference in expediting the process. With UFC 244 right around the corner and no backup plan in place, the whole “BMF” thing would have fizzled out on a cold November night in New York City. Now that Diaz is back in the fold fight fans can still witness one of the best Octagon battles of the year.

We’ll find out one way or another if this whole USADA thing weighs on Diaz when he enters the Octagon next weekend across from the one they call “Gamebred.”