Lyoto Machida is relieved he is no longer part of the USADA testing pool.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was facing a possible four-year ban when he tested positive for Turinabol after UFC 214 nearly two years ago. Instead, he was given a reduced 15-month suspension for his second PED-related infraction in the UFC.
“Bones” was also allowed to compete at UFC 232 in December, despite testing positive for trace amounts of the M3 metabolite of oral turinabol. And for fighters like Lyoto Machida, these practices are questionable.
“I don’t like to judge anyone,” Machida told MMA Fighting in a recent interview. “Maybe what USADA is saying really did happen and there’s this contamination from the past. But, like, when it’s a game of interests, we have questions and never really know what’s going on, what’s the goal behind all this, and USADA’s intentions and UFC’s intentions.
“Because of that, I prefer to remain in silence and not weigh in on this because I’m more focused on Bellator now.”
Now that he is no longer in the UFC, “The Dragon” is relieved to be out of the testing pool, as well.
“When I saw different results, different substances and different penalties, man… To me, as a person, it lost credibility,” he said. “For me, not being part of USADA… You can’t understand the joy I have. Not having that daily stress… You could be doing everything by the book, but there was always this stress.”
The 40-year-old Brazilian was involved in PED-related issues nearly three years ago, when he admitted to have used a prohibited substance known as 7-keto-DHEA. He was subsequently suspended for 18 months.
Machida is currently scheduled to headline Bellator’s Madison Square Garden event on June 14th against Chael Sonnen.