Photo by Michael Owens/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Pro fighters react to the latest news surrounding Nate Diaz.
The highly anticipated ‘BMF’ title fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz is back on.
The fight was in serious jeopardy when it was revealed earlier this week that Diaz had tested positive for trace amounts of a performance-enhancing drug and had refused to fight unless the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the UFC cleared his name.
Wish granted.
Earlier this morning, USADA revealed Diaz’ positive test was the result of contamination and that the Stockton local had been cleared to fight for UFC 244.
“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.”
Pro fighters reacted to the news on Twitter, with many blaming USADA and the UFC for incompetence.
Good. That’s as it should be.
Now how about USADA giving me back 18 months of my career and forcing me to take them to court?
I’m glad Nate is absolved, as he should be, but USADA clearly has no set standards and act arbitrarily it would seem. https://t.co/htSlXJKsy7
— (@JoshLBarnett) October 26, 2019
With all this Diaz and USADA stuff going I will say this, USADA is worse than being on probation. I was out with the family one time at Dave and busters and dude made me do a test in the bathroom while everyone was coming in and out watching me poor piss into a glass bottle.
— Ray Borg (@tazmexufc) October 26, 2019
Nice to see the UFC stand up for an athlete of theirs.
I remember how when asked they stepped up for me as well…
Oh wait… https://t.co/62ZxUW1Aml
— (@JoshLBarnett) October 26, 2019
Hopefully now they have these thresholds set they can go back and review any previous suspensions. Great step forward by USADA and the UFC. Where can athletes find information on what the acceptable levels are? https://t.co/knw7FlvNi0
— Rock n Rumble (@ElvisSinosic) October 26, 2019
This makes no sense.
— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) October 26, 2019
Told ya..
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) October 26, 2019
UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz will take place next month, Nov. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York.