UFC 162 will go down as one of the most historic events in MMA history after Chris Weidman dethroned Anderson Silva as middleweight champion.
More good news was released about the event on Friday, as the Nevada State Athletic Commission confirmed that all of the fighters on the card were tested for performance enhancing drugs, and everyone came back negative.
It’s never a fun subject to hear about an athlete testing positive for a banned substance, but it definitely doesn’t help when that becomes a black mark on an otherwise great show.
UFC 162 is expected to end up as one of the biggest shows for the promotion in 2013.
All 22 fighters on the card were tested, according to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer.
UFC middleweight Chris Leben fought on the card and has had a couple of run-ins in the past with positive drug test results. Once in 2008, following a fight against Michael Bisping, Leben tested positive for steroids and was suspended for nine months.
Leben then tested positive again, this time for painkillers (oxycodone and oxymorphone), after his fight against Mark Munoz at UFC 138.
Following that positive test and suspension, Leben entered a substance abuse program that was funded by the UFC. As part of his continued treatment, for his last fight at UFC 162, Leben was approved for a therapeutic use exemption to use suboxone, which is used to help patients overcome opiate dependency.
It was the first time the commission had made such an approval for an MMA fighter competing in the state.
All told, the 22 fighters on the card all came back with clean results, which also clears the way for the UFC to forge ahead with the rematch plans for Weidman vs. Silva II.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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