Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
TJ Dillashaw has been suspended two years for EPO, an injectable Performance Enhancing Drug (PED). You can read all about it here. He voluntarily gave up his title, and the UFC’s current plan is to have Marlon Moraes fight flyweight champion Henry Cejudo for it. Once they had the positive result, USADA also went back and tested some older samples from Dillashaw, one of which also came back positive. This raises a couple questions: why aren’t they testing every sample for EPO (even if it does require a special test), and secondly, if Dillashaw was using EPO before he fought Cody Garbrandt, should Garbrandt’s title be reinstated? As Garbrandt pointed out, all of his losses (the two to Dillashaw and one to Pedro Munhoz) have been to fighters that have failed drug tests in the past. Of course, Garbrandt was self aware enough to realize that isn’t the only reason he lost.
Let’s make this clear I’m not saying my losses are a direct result of PED convicted fighters. I also fought like a dumb ass
— Cody Garbrandt (@Cody_Nolove) April 9, 2019
The question was originally posed on Twitter. It seems like a far-fetched scenario, given that the UFC have no actual legal rules governing their belts. The Olympics does reverse old decisions, and Lance Armstrong had his title retroactively stripped. It would be an odd decision for a promoter to return the belt to a fighter who just lost three fights by knockout, even if two of those losses were to someone who is now known to be a PED abuser.
The question, therefore, is not whether the UFC will (they won’t), but whether they ought to return Cody’s belt to him, if his opponent was cheating to win. If not, Dillashaw may have been caught, but the damage has been done to Cody’s career.
Insomnia
Cody knew it the whole time- after all, he said TJ was the guy who taught Team Alpha Male how to do it!
Cody Garbrandt posted this on Twitter in April of 2018, specifically accusing Dillashaw of using EPO. pic.twitter.com/fiBXf3Z45z
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) April 9, 2019
The memes abounded. All those supplements to blame, and you got busted for something that can only be done via needle.
Of course Conor McGregor had to get his two cents in.
Respect Cody!
The loyalty you showed for Urijah and your team on that faithful day in the TUF gym will forever stand out to me!
Enjoy this moment and these returned victories to you!
Clean and Unbeaten! https://t.co/c15qkvthOF— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 9, 2019
Imagine Jon Jones being the snitch behind the TJ Dillashaw drug bust
We all know it was Jon… stop taking credit for everything pic.twitter.com/k6GhDcRcPU
— Ricky Doobs (@rick_doobs) March 21, 2019
The commentary is the best part of this video by far
fight that broke out in the crowd at bkfc5.
the commentary is pic.twitter.com/vdQFTlTpH8
— fightforyourright (@fight4yourrite) April 8, 2019
We all know it was Jon… stop taking credit for everything pic.twitter.com/k6GhDcRcPU
— Ricky Doobs (@rick_doobs) March 21, 2019
Dillon Danis apparently had his eyes dilated right before this press conference
Maybe I’m a sucker, but I’m still interested in seeing how Machida vs. Sonnen plays out.
Machida-Sonnen pic.twitter.com/j5aQaiyUxx
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) April 9, 2019
Don’t mess with the jiu-jisu competitors!
Weight classes
my first 15 hours with bloodborne pic.twitter.com/JbqB2owhz0
— Jon Jones (@jonjones) April 8, 2019
Destroyer of worlds
Sleep well, Maniacs! A better tomorrow is always possible. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality