LAS VEGAS — Matt Brown isn’t pleased with the UFC’s recent changes to its drug testing policy, though not for the reasons you’d expect.
“We found out that it was a two-year ban instead of a four-year, which to me is complete bulls–t,” Brown fumed at Thursday’s media day. “I’m thinking maybe I’ll start a petition for the UFC fighters. Maybe we can all band together and ask for a petition to ask to get a minimum four-year ban. Why would you not sign the petition? Unless you’re juicing. I think it should be a lifetime ban.”
The UFC’s revamped testing procedures officially went into effect on July 1, giving UFC 189 the distinction of being the first event to be held under the watchful eye of UFC drug czar Jeff Novitzy. The new measures include random, year-round testing, as well as a sweeping crackdown on penalties for first-time and serial offenders.
In Brown’s eyes though, allowing first-time cheats to skirt away with a two-year suspension rather than WADA’s infamous four-year suspension sets a dangerous precedent, and it’s one which could have dire consequences in the future.
“I find it ludicrous that they have a f–king standard for every other sport except for the one where you can get f–king murdered in a cage,” Brown said. “People do die doing this s–t, just not in the UFC people haven’t yet fortunately. The day is going to come when it happens. We all know that. If it happens to someone who got beat by a known juicer, is that not gonna be more of an issue? I don’t want to be the dead one, because a motherf–ker was sticking needles in himself all day.”
While he may not be satisfied with the lengths the UFC is taking, Brown is at least happy to see the organization actively fighting the sport’s PED crisis in a visible way. And besides, he has bigger things to worry about — come Saturday night, he’s slated to dance with Tim Means on UFC 189’s preliminary card in a fight “The Immortal” freely acknowledges was booked to be a “bloodbath.”
It’s a pivotal bout, and one that could go a long way towards establishing where Brown sits in the welterweight pecking order.
After losing consecutive bouts to Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks, the seven-fight path of destruction that once made Brown the division’s darling suddenly seems like a distant memory. Now, with a third straight setback staring him straight in the face, Brown admits it’s hard to shake the feeling of the 1-4 run in 2010-2011 that nearly landed him on the unemployment line.
“It does feel uncomfortably familiar,” Brown said. “I remember a lot of the feelings that I had when I was on that three-fight losing streak before, and I see where they come from. So hopefully, seeing that I’ve been through that, I’ve learned lessons and that can equate to a victory on Saturday. That’s not always enough, but I believe my mind is in the right place. I think I’m looking at this the right way, and I think that I’m going to be happy with my performance win or lose.”
Brown at least takes some solace in knowing that of the two men he lost to, one is the former UFC welterweight champion and the other is the man who currently holds that strap. But Brown also pays attention to the MMA bubble more than most fighters. He hears the vocal contingent of fans who have already relegated him to the role of gatekeeper simply because of two disappointing performances, and he’s determined to prove them wrong.
“It takes some mental fortitude to not let that kind of stuff affect you,” Brown said. “I read the forums probably way more than I should, your guys’ forum too, or the comments at least. I probably read that stuff way too much. When you do, you can start letting that get into your head and believe it a little bit.
“You’ve just got to have the mental fortitude and intelligence to be able to separate the truth from fiction.”