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Famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi Shocked by UFC’s Split with USADA: ‘One guy is going to ruin it for everybody’

Famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi was shocked to learn of the UFC’s imminent split with the United States Anti-Doping…

Famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi was shocked to learn of the UFC’s imminent split with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

Last month, USADA CEO Travis Tygart revealed that the two organizations would no longer work together come January 1, 2024, ending an eight-year partnership. At the center of the bitter split was Irish megastar Conor McGregor, whose long-awaited return to the Octagon put a strain on the relationship between the UFC and USADA, making it “untenable” according to Tygart.

The news came completely out of left field and caused quite a stir in the MMA community with coaches, fighters, and fans concerned that without a third party to handle testing duties, the UFC could essentially make up their own rules and find ways around them at will.

GSP Coach Firas Zahabi Shocked that ‘One Guy is going to ruin it for everybody’

Firas Zahabi, head of Tristar Gym in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, offered his take on the situation via a video on the gym’s YouTube channel.

“I just saw a headline and I don’t even remember the headline but there could be a lot more to it, obviously. If that’s the case, man, what can I say? I’m speechless, man,” Zahabi said. “I’m speechless. That’s ridiculous. One guy is going to ruin it for everybody? We need drug testing guys, it’s out of control. The drugs are out of control, am I the last natural guy left?” (h/t BJPenn.com).

Conor McGregor re-entered the USADA testing pool last month, just in time for a return at the promotion’s next milestone event, UFC 300, in April.

With the UFC opting for an in-house testing system headed up by ex-FBI special agent George Piro, the Irishman could theoretically return anytime after December 31, 2023, but with Dana White announcing three blockbuster title fights to headline the first three pay-per-view events of the new year, McGregor’s rumored return at UFC 300 appears to be all but confirmed.

Johny Hendricks accused of PED use by Georges St-Pierre head coach Firas Zahabi: ‘Why wouldn’t he take the test?’

Johny Hendricks was once one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, but rampant speculation that ‘Big Rig’ was an avid user of performance-enhancing drugs has seemingly tarnished his impressive resume. Debuting for the UFC in 2009, Johny Hendricks ran through a who’s who at welterweight, including Jon Fitch, Carlos Condit, Josh Koshcheck, and […]

Debuting for the UFC in 2009, Johny Hendricks ran through a who’s who at welterweight, including Jon Fitch, Carlos Condit, Josh Koshcheck, and Martin Kampmann. However, Hendricks’ success did not last as he unceremoniously exited the UFC in 2017 after dropping five of his last six bouts inside the Octagon. Ironically, Hendricks’ struggles began around the same time that the promotion partnered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Before his downward spiral, Johny Hendricks earned himself a welterweight title opportunity at UFC 167, taking on then-champion Georges St-Pierre. GSP walked away with his title intact via split decision, but many still argue that ‘Big Rig’ did more than enough to dethrone the French Canadian icon that evening. Looking back on the fight and Hendricks’ downfall, Firas Zahabi, St-Pierre’s longtime coach and the proprietor of Tristar Gym, believes that Hendricks was using banned substances going into their world title clash and likely throughout his impressive run.

“Guys, I do think he was on PEDs. Yeah, I do, honestly,” Zahabi said on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel. “His drop-off was so significant. When he fought Georges [St-Pierre], he admitted to being 220 [pounds] in the octagon. So, he made 170 and he went up 50 pounds? That’s insane. Georges was probably 185.

“What’s the whole point of the weight class? The whole point of the weight class is two guys of the same size are going to fight each other, that’s what it’s about” (h/t MMA Fighting)

Firas Zahabi accuses Johny Hendricks of using PEDs in 2013 GSP fight..#ufc #ufcnews #mma #mmanews #mmatwitter #gsp #firaszahabi #johnyhendricks #mmatwitter pic.twitter.com/qf2yXDkij6

— Talkin' MMA (@Talkin_MMA) May 12, 2023

Firas Zahabi Agreed to Pay $10,000 Out of His Own Pocket to Have Johnny Hendricks Tested Ahead of GSP Bout

With no governing body like USADA working with the promotion at the time of their welterweight title fight, Zahabi revealed that he had agreed to pay $10,000 out of his own pocket to ensure that both fighters were tested through VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association).

“I felt Johny did that a bit,” Zahabi said of seeking advantages. “You’re tricking the system so well by fighting this smaller guy. I think he probably did use PEDs.

“Johny Hendricks in an interview said he would do testing. This is public information. Me and Georges St-Pierre took it upon ourselves to hire VADA, who’s going to independently test both teams and they’re gonna publish it no matter what the result. Even if there’s a false positive, false whatever. The results will be published and an explanation soon to come. That’s it. That was music to our ears.

“The UFC didn’t want to use this group, they wanted to use another group,” he continued. “They wanted to use the Nevada state. Okay, let’s do both testing, let’s make everybody happy. I offered to pay $10,000 from my own pocket. Georges will pay one test, I will pay for the other, there’s no money coming out of anybody else’s pockets. Every test under the sun, let’s do it.”

As it turns out, Johny Hendricks never tested through VADA despite openly agreeing to do so. Zahabi believes Hendricks’ dishonest actions leading into the fight and his subsequent collapse speak for themselves.

“What happened in the end? Only Georges St-Pierre got drug tested,” Zahabi said. “In the end, we paid VADA to test Georges St-Pierre. Johny Hendricks did not keep his word. He said he would take any test and he did not. Why didn’t he keep his word? You guys tell me.

“I talked to Mike [Dolce] about this and he said, ‘Oh, I think he fell off afterward because he didn’t have the motivation. He just wanted to win the world title and after that, he didn’t have the motivation.’ I don’t know, might be true. I just don’t believe it. I don’t buy it. When you have millions of dollars on the line, you find that motivation. Nobody wants to go down like that. I personally don’t believe. I won’t say it’s impossible or they’re liars, that’s just not my take on it. I think he was on stuff. Why wouldn’t he take the test?”

Alex Pereira warned after potential ‘Career-Ending’ KO loss to Israel Adesanya: ‘The way he fell’

Tristar MMA head coach and mastermind, Firas Zahabi has warned that former middleweight champion, Alex Pereira may never be the same again, after the Brazilian suffered a potentially “career-ending” knockout loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 this month. Pereira, who headlined UFC 287 last weekend in a middleweight championship rematch against the above-mentioned, Adesanya, […]

Pereira, who headlined UFC 287 last weekend in a middleweight championship rematch against the above-mentioned, Adesanya, dropped a stunning second round KO loss to the Nigerian-Kiwi at the Octagon fence.

Backing Adesanya back to the fence with a combination of his own, Sao Paulo native, Alex Pereira was countered with a couple of right hook strikes from Adesanya, before he was sent cannoning to the Octagon canvas, finding himself on the receiving end of more ground strikes.

Firas Zahabi expresses concern for Alex Pereira following UFC 287

Despite leaving the Octagon under his own motion and momentum following UFC 287, Pereira has been warned he may have suffered irreversible damage against Adesanya – potentially “career-ending”, in fact.

“I think that that knockout, the way he fell, the way he was out, the way he got hit three times,” AFiras Zahabi said of Alex Pereira on his YouTube channel. “That could be one of those fight-ending, career-ending fights. Like, he might win a few fights, lose a fight. He might never be the same, once you get knocked out really badly like that. For instance, I’ll tell you, like, when (Jose) Aldo got knocked out by (Conor) McGregor, he was never the same again. When Georges (St-Pierre) TKO’d B.J. Penn, when he gave him that beating – that really bad beating, he was really the same again.” (Transcribed by BJPENN.com)

Announcing plans to make a move to the light heavyweight limit following his knockout loss to Adesanya last weekend, Pereira has been linked with an immediate title outing at the division against current champion, Jamahal Hill – while compatriot, Johnny Walker has offered to welcome the Sao Paulo striker to the 205lbs ranks to boot.

Coach disputes Jon Jones’ status at GOAT following UFC 285 win: ‘You can’t fail drug tests and be the greatest’

Tristar MMA head coach, Firas Zahabi has disputed the consensus call of Jon Jones as the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time off the back of his UFC 285 heavyweight title victory earlier this month – pointing to the Endicott native’s prior failed drug tests. Jones, a former two-time light heavyweight champion to […]

Jones, a former two-time light heavyweight champion to boot, headlined UFC 285 last weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada – clinching the vacant heavyweight title with a dominant, first round guillotine choke submission win over former interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane.

Locking his hands round the waist of Gane in the early goings of their main event clash, Jon Jones dragged the Frenchman to the ground – before scooting his way to the Octagon fence.

Fighting hands for some time, Jon Jones locked up a guillotine choke on Gane – forcing a rather timely tap on the MMA Factory Paris staple, minting himself as the heavyweight champion.

And off the back of his victory, Jones has been touted as both too much for former undisputed titleholder, Francis Ngannou – and former two-time titleholder, Stipe Miocic by Zahabi – with the latter expected to return fight Jones at UFC 290 in July.

“Jon (Jones) with one ab, beat Ciryl Gane – easy,” Firas Zahabi said on his YouTube channel. “And if they restarted that fight, I would pick Jon. If they restarted that fight 10 times, I would pick Jon. I think he’s levels above [everyone else].”

“And if he fights (Francis) Ngannou – call me crazy if you like, but he’s going to beat Ngannou,” Firas Zahabi explained. “Not that he’s going to fight Ngannou – I don’t think that fight’s going to happen. But he beats Ngannou. And if he fights (Stipe) Miocic, I’m telling you guys now – I haven’t done a pre-fight analysis [yet] – he’ll beat Miocic. He’ll beat him.”

Firas Zahabi disputes Jon Jones’ status as the GOAT

However, Jones, who had tested positive for a turinabol metabolite following an eventual official ‘No Contest’ against Daniel Cormier in 2017, has been ruled out of the GOAT debate by Zahabi – who claims he should have been slapped with a lifetime suspension from MMA.

“Jon Jones calls himself the GOAT,” Firas Zahabi said on his YouTube channel. “I hate to say it, he’s not the GOAT. You can’t fail drug tests and be the GOAT. If you guys ask me, can i put my vote in the hat? If you get caught on a banned substance – okay not weed or like they have some weird things on there – if you get caught with a hormone, I cthink you should be banned for life. It’s irreversible by the way, the University of Toronto they have a study on hormones and PEDs, and the effects are irreversible.”

Firas Zahabi praises Jon Jones following UFC 285 win: ‘If he fights Francis Ngannou, he’s gonna beat him’

Tristar MMA head coach and mixed martial arts tactician, Firas Zahabi has heaped praise on Jon Jones following his vacant heavyweight title victory at UFC 285 last weekend, as well as claiming the Endicott native would also defeat former titleholder, Francis Ngannou in a potential future fight. Headlining UFC 285 last weekend in Las Vegas, […]

Headlining UFC 285 last weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jones managed to hand former interim heavyweight titleholder, Ciryl Gane in a main event bracket, stopping the Frenchman with a spectacular first round guillotine choke to land the vacant heavyweight crown.

Expected to fight former two-time undisputed heavyweight titleholder, Stipe Miocic at UFC 290 during International Fight Week in his first attempted title defense this summer, Jon Jones is targeted to make his return as soon as the opening week of July.

Firas Zahabi showers praise on Jon Jones following UFC 285 title triumph

Predicting a victory of Miocic with the help of God – Jones, who urged the Ohio native to take time away from his job as a firefighter to focus on the earmarked July showdown, has been picked to also defeat Cameroon knockout artist, Ngannou if they ever share the Octagon together by Tristar MMA mainstay, Zahabi.

“And if he fights (Francis) Ngannou – call me crazy if you like, but he’s going to be beat Ngannou,” Firas Zahabi explained. “Not that he’s going to fight Ngannou – I don’t think that fight’s going to happen. But he beats Ngannou. And if he fights (Stipe) Miocic, I’m telling you guys now – I haven’t done a pre-fight analysis [yet] – he’ll beat Miocic. He’ll beat him.”

Reflecting on his own title victory over Gane, Jones claimed that he was destined to add to his light heavyweight spoils in his UFC return this month.

“This isn’t a job to me,” Jon Jones said. “It is my life. It’s my identity. This is who I was intended to be in my mother’s womb. It’s my purpose. This is my destiny.”

Firas Zahabi: Georges St-Pierre Asked Me Not To Corner Jon Jones Title Fight

Tristar Gym head coach Firas Zahabi has revealed that he backed out of cornering Jon Jones’ first light heavyweight title fight at the request of Georges St-Pierre. Jones is set to make his return to the cage at UFC 285 in a fight for the UFC’s vacant …

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