The breakup between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) was a controversial one, but it could eventually lead to less restrictions when it comes to fighters taking performance-enhancing drugs to recover from injuries.
This has been a hot topic of late after seeing what Conor McGregor did following his gruesome leg break back in July 2021. McGregor immediately exited the USADA testing pool after suffering his injury in order to recover as best as possible. This may or may not have included PEDs that would have sped up McGregor’s recovery.
USADA’s treatment of McGregor, who re-entered the testing pool this past October, was one of the reasons why the anti-doping agency and UFC cut ties. The program will officially expire at the end of this month as UFC transitions to a new agency, Drug Free Sport, in 2024. The change is expected to offer less restrictions in certain areas of testing, which may include injured fighters like McGregor taking what they need to take in order to fully recover.
UFC color commentator, Joe Rogan, is in full support of these “lax” rules. Rogan believes that an injured fighter — especially one with a serious ailment — should have the ability to take substances that will bring them back to 100 percent health.
“I would imagine it’s going to be a little more lax, and I would support that,” said Rogan during a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience.” “I certainly support guys taking things to recover from injuries like Conor did with his leg injury. 100 percent, no question about it. I’m 100 percent all in on that. That’s the only way. No one comes back from that. No one has ever come back from that catastrophic leg break.”
“The shin break, not a single athlete has come back from it and performed at the same level,” Rogan continued. “Anderson Silva is the only guy who came back and fought multiple times and he was not the same guy.”
McGregor, 35, is expected to make his return to UFC in the first half of 2024. That would mean “Notorious” has been inactive for nearly three years, mostly due to his recovery. Fight fans are uncertain what McGregor may have taken once removed from USADA’s testing pool back in 2021, but if the rules were more relaxed then maybe he would have been back sooner.
What do you think, Maniacs? Do you agree with Rogan in this case?
Let’s discuss!