When I heard that United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) tested one UFC fighter a whopping 27 times in 2021, I was certain it would be one of the usual suspects, like former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw or hulking middleweight contender Paulo Costa.
Nope.
UFC middleweight bruiser Misha Cirkunov, once considered the scariest puncher at 205 pounds (based on this scouting report), led the drug-tested pack, with Dillashaw (25) and Costa (23) not far behind.
The 10 most tested fighters in 2021 (compiled by MMA Junkie) listed below:
Misha Cirkunov — 27
Ottman Azaitar — 26
TJ Dillashaw — 25
Miesha Tate — 24
Abu Azaitar — 24
Dricus Du Plessis — 24
Paulo Costa — 23
Charlie Ontiveros — 19
Askar Mosharov — 18
Jairzinho Rozenstruik — 17
Cirkunov, 34, has dropped five of his last seven and could be fighting for his job when he throws hands against Uzbekistan middleweight Makhmud Muradov as part of the promotion’s “Fight Night” event on Feb. 19 in Las Vegas.