In an effort to clean up the sport, today’s new and enhanced MMA landscape where the UFC has partnered with USADA to implement a world-class anti-doping regimen, drug test failures for performance-enhancing drugs have become much more commonplace and public in fighting than ever before. Perhaps it was to be expected as the sport continues […]
In an effort to clean up the sport, today’s new and enhanced MMA landscape where the UFC has partnered with USADA to implement a world-class anti-doping regimen, drug test failures for performance-enhancing drugs have become much more commonplace and public in fighting than ever before.
Perhaps it was to be expected as the sport continues to struggle with the program more than two years since its inception, but some high-profile failures have wrecked what would have otherwise been huge events, and some would even argue that the UFC’s partnership with USADA is actually doing more harm than good for the promotion.
That’s ridiculous, of course, as preventing a highly trained athlete from beating another athlete while under the benefit of PEDs is obviously a very good thing – yet there are signs that USADA’s timing and overall implementation could use some smoothing out of their own. Those details are another discussion for another time, however. With big UFC PPVs being ruined by drug test failures seemingly a regular occurrence these days, it brings to light how drug testing has affected events and even fighters’ careers both in the past and present.
We took a look back at the 10 most devastating drug test failures in MMA history, and the results found show just how impactful they have been on the still-young sport. Check them out:
Cris Cyborg – Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal:
The drug test that UFC women’s featherweight champ Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino failed for stanozolol after her thunderous 16-second TKO of Hiroko Yamanaka in December 2011 is arguably the most impactful on this list as it’s caused Cyborg to be followed by a reputation as a steroid user, and probably always will.
She was suspended for one year, stripped of her Strikeforce women’s featherweight belt, and her win over Yamanaka was changed to a no-contest. The failure was one of the main reasons (along with weight) why former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey wouldn’t fight Cyborg, and that topic was again brought up when original UFC 145-pound champion Germaine de Randamie refused to defend the belt against Cyborg, even if it could certainly be argued there were several other factors in play there.
It appeared Cyborg was headed into a disappointing squandering of her talent when she was popped for a USADA violation last year, but she was able to clear her name of that violation by claiming a prescribed substance she used during her foolish cuts down to 140 pounds for the UFC in 2016. For what it’s worth, she’s apparently complied with all of the rigorous requirements of the UFC’s anti-doping program with USADA (despite rumors otherwise), but her career will always be shrouded by her singular failure in Strikeforce.
It’s been awhile since Wanderlei Silva gave us a career update via a dimly-lit video recorded in a rape dungeon, and while many fans have all but completely forgotten about his existence in that time, the former PRIDE and UFC star has kept busy attempting to valiantly restore some credibility to his name. And today, it appears he may have actually made a little headway in that quest.
It’s been awhile since Wanderlei Silva gave us a career update via a dimly-lit video recorded in a rape dungeon, and while many fans have all but completely forgotten about his existence in that time, the former PRIDE and UFC star has kept busy attempting to valiantly restore some credibility to his name. And today, it appears he may have actually made a little headway in that quest.
And now, Silva has finally achieved (some of) the “justice” he was seeking, and is understandably thrilled. In his latest video statement released earlier today, he even managed to up the production value and shoot it in one of his gyms!
When you stand up in favor of a working class, all that you want is for the workers to be treated better. You want their rights to be given to them, and not only their duties. Every regulatory entity has laws which the entity itself must follow.
Today, history was made for all MMA athletes. We succeeded at reversing a very unjust sentence given by this commission. I hope this never happens to another athlete; to have to fight in court for their right to work. It’s not right for the commission to do that. they can’t be above the law. We need to make clear the regulatory laws.
As we’ve reiterated after viewing each of Wandy’s vlogs, he undoubtedly makes some good points about the state of the sport and the steps necessary to improve. But as always, one must first consider the source, and it’s hard to overlook the fact that Wandy only became the caped crusader of equality MMA after he was essentially blacklisted from it.
But where does Wandy — and our sport in general — do with this ruling? To put it simply, we’re not entirely sure. Wandy will be forced to appear in person before the NAC for a rehearing of the case at a date TBD, but according to Combat Sports Law, Early’s ruling granted NSAC the power “to conduct out of competition drug tests for individuals not previously licensed in their jurisdiction,” although the scope of their authority remains a bit of a mystery. With NSAC still redefining the length of punishments for various substances and the UFC preparing to launch its own year-round, out-of competition drug testing program, a lot remains up in the air regarding the sport’s future.
All that said, Wanderlei is speaking as if he is already a vindicated man.
I want to thank you for all your support. You are like family to me. To everyone, in every city, around the world, supporting me through your screen. Even after not fighting for two years, my fans never abandon me. You are not just fans, you are real friends. After dedicating my entire life to something, you are what makes it worth it.
In every city I go there are lines of people to see me and give me a hug. I love to feel your affection towards me. It’s priceless. To all of you in the Wand family, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope to personally meet you one day in your city to say my sincere thank you.
Yahoo!’s Kevin Iole reported this weekend that the Nevada State Athletic Commission subjected UFC middleweight title contender Vitor Belfort to a random drug test on Saturday — his first such test since being granted a conditional license in Nevada on July 23rd. According to the Yahoo! report, a collector representing the Nevada commission took blood and urine samples from Belfort in Florida, where the fighter currently lives and trains.
Belfort was cooperative with the procedure, and did not attempt to escape out the side door of his gym like some people we know. Results from Belfort’s test will not be ready for approximately two weeks. (Suspense!)
Nevada’s decision to finally drop a rando on Belfort followed a public shaming led by Chris Weidman and MMA news outlets like us, who screamed at the NSAC to do its damn job after it came out that the Nevada commission wasn’t testing Belfort like it had promised in the wake of his failed drug test for elevated testosterone back in February. However, NSAC executive director Bob Bennett told Yahoo! Sports that he had always planned to have Belfort tested — it just took a bit longer than we expected.
Yahoo!’s Kevin Iole reported this weekend that the Nevada State Athletic Commission subjected UFC middleweight title contender Vitor Belfort to a random drug test on Saturday — his first such test since being granted a conditional license in Nevada on July 23rd. According to the Yahoo! report, a collector representing the Nevada commission took blood and urine samples from Belfort in Florida, where the fighter currently lives and trains.
Belfort was cooperative with the procedure, and did not attempt to escape out the side door of his gym like some people we know. Results from Belfort’s test will not be ready for approximately two weeks. (Suspense!)
Nevada’s decision to finally drop a rando on Belfort followed a public shaming led by Chris Weidman and MMA news outlets like us, who screamed at the NSAC to do its damn job after it came out that the Nevada commission wasn’t testing Belfort like it had promised in the wake of his failed drug test for elevated testosterone back in February. However, NSAC executive director Bob Bennett told Yahoo! Sports that he had always planned to have Belfort tested — it just took a bit longer than we expected.
Drug test results are in from October 3rd’s Bellator 127 event in Temecula, California, and brother, they are embarrassing. Sherdog reports that four fighters on the card failed their post-fight drug screenings for banned substances, according to information released by the California State Athletic Commission. Those fighters are…
– UFC veteran Rob Emerson, who popped positive for Modafinil, a sleep disorder drug that is used recreationally as a pep-pill. Emerson lost a decision to Rafael Silva at Bellator 127, and his loss will stand.
– Strikeforce/KOTC vet Keith Berry, who tested positive for elevated testosterone levels and marijuana. His split decision win against Joe Pacheco will be changed to a no contest.
– Light-heavyweight Nick Moghaddam, who also tested positive for elevated testosterone levels and marijuana. Moghaddam’s unanimous decision loss to Ray Sloan will stand.
Drug test results are in from October 3rd’s Bellator 127 event in Temecula, California, and brother, they are embarrassing. Sherdog reports that four fighters on the card failed their post-fight drug screenings for banned substances, according to information released by the California State Athletic Commission. Those fighters are…
– UFC veteran Rob Emerson, who popped positive for Modafinil, a sleep disorder drug that is used recreationally as a pep-pill. Emerson lost a decision to Rafael Silva at Bellator 127, and his loss will stand.
– Strikeforce/KOTC vet Keith Berry, who tested positive for elevated testosterone levels and marijuana. His split decision win against Joe Pacheco will be changed to a no contest.
– Light-heavyweight Nick Moghaddam, who also tested positive for elevated testosterone levels and marijuana. Moghaddam’s unanimous decision loss to Ray Sloan will stand.
– Welterweight Fernando Gonzalez, who tested positive for marijuana. Gonzalez scored a first-round TKO against Karo Parisyan at Bellator 127; at this point, the CSAC has not confirmed whether or not Gonzalez’s win will be overturned.
I don’t understand it; Bellator is usually such a professional operation (LOL J/K). So, is it just a fluke that the CSAC caught four fish on the same event? Well, not exactly. As Sherdog explains, “All 22 fighters competing at Bellator 127 provided urine samples that were sent to a UCLA Olympic analytical lab that is World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited.”
Yes, all of the fighters were tested — a marked contrast from the way that Bellator used to run drug testing, which was basically not at all. In other words, the more shows that Bellator runs in which its fighters are actually held accountable for what’s in their bodies, the more we’ll see multiple fighters pissing hot on the same card. 2014 is indeed the druggiest year in MMA history, and we’ve still got two more months to get through.
(MMA competition can provide the stability necessary for a person to beat addiction. It can also create the physical and emotional chaos that leads to drugs in the first place.)
For months I’ve wanted to get started on an article discussing drug use among MMA athletes, but just haven’t gotten my fingers to the keyboard. For some reason, after seeing Dennis Siver’s positive test for HCG recently — probably the least worrisome drug I’ve ever seen someone test positive for — I’ve decided to get going with it.
In addition to the positive tests for performance enhancing substances that we’ve seen dozens of times in this sport, there has been an alarming number of positive drug tests for recreational and prescription drugs as well. We’ve also seen countless fighters wage personal battles with substance abuse outside of the ring/cage, with several ending in death — accidental as well as suicide. It’s the recreational drugs and prescription painkillers that have caught my attention as something that may need to be addressed.
After seeing so many fighters struggle with drug abuse over the years like Joe Riggs, Drew Fickett, Karo Parisyan, along with those that have passed away from drug-related circumstances like Shane Del Rosario and Shelby Walker, I started to wonder: Is MMA leading athletes to become addicted to drugs, or are people who are more prone to drug use entering the world of mixed martial arts?
What I found out is that the answer to both previous questions is yes. Those more prone to use drugs do enter MMA, and MMA in return, leads those to use drugs and subsequently become addicted to them. It’s a hell of a lot more complex than that, but simply put, MMA fighters, as well as boxers, are kind of screwed.
(MMA competition can provide the stability necessary for a person to beat addiction. It can also create the physical and emotional chaos that leads to drugs in the first place.)
For months I’ve wanted to get started on an article discussing drug use among MMA athletes, but just haven’t gotten my fingers to the keyboard. For some reason, after seeing Dennis Siver’s positive test for HCG recently — probably the least worrisome drug I’ve ever seen someone test positive for — I’ve decided to get going with it.
In addition to the positive tests for performance enhancing substances that we’ve seen dozens of times in this sport, there has been an alarming number of positive drug tests for recreational and prescription drugs as well. We’ve also seen countless fighters wage personal battles with substance abuse outside of the ring/cage, with several ending in death — accidental as well as suicide. It’s the recreational drugs and prescription painkillers that have caught my attention as something that may need to be addressed.
After seeing so many fighters struggle with drug abuse over the years like Joe Riggs, Drew Fickett, Karo Parisyan, along with those that have passed away from drug-related circumstances like Shane Del Rosario and Shelby Walker, I started to wonder: Is MMA leading athletes to become addicted to drugs, or are people who are more prone to drug use entering the world of mixed martial arts?
What I found out is that the answer to both previous questions is yes. Those more prone to use drugs do enter MMA, and MMA in return, leads those to use drugs and subsequently become addicted to them. It’s a hell of a lot more complex than that, but simply put, MMA fighters, as well as boxers, are kind of screwed.
First, lets take a look at the “those prone to drug abuse enter MMA” concept. In a 2009 article for the Dana Foundation, Brenda Patoine wrote, “There is a well-established relationship between high sensation-seeking and drug use.” Virtually every expert on the subject agrees that there is a relationship between “thrill seeking” — whether that be sex, drugs, bungee jumping or trying new things — and drug abuse. It sure makes sense, doesn’t it? If you’re searching for adrenaline you go to a high spot, jump off of it, and pull a parachute. You land, are filled with endorphins, dopamine and serotonin and feel damn good. But, then you want that feeling again. So you go to the same elevated spot and repeat the process, but this time it’s not the same; it doesn’t feel quite as good. So, you find a higher spot or crazier landing strip or whatever you need to do to make the jump more exciting to replicate the same feeling of euphoria as before.
Sounds kind of like the beginnings of any drug addiction, huh? Well, that’s because it is. Not only just the process, but the chemicals as well. And considering that both drug-addiction and thrill-seeking behavior increase activity in the insular cortex, and both are highly dependent upon dopamine, it’s hard not to see the similarities. Since our brains are pushing us in the direction of thrill-seeking behavior, in the form of jumping into a cage and fighting another human behind a closed chain-linked fence, we are already predisposed to the types of behaviors that lead to drug abuse.
This is where the real fun begins.
Now that the thrill-seeking, predisposed, drug-addict is training and competing in MMA he or she sustains countless injuries, and is prescribed what? That’s right, painkillers — opiates. A substance that releases the same chemical in the brain as the thrill of fighting in front of others or jumping off of buildings, but this time, the person doesn’t even have to get up off of the couch. Pop the pill, the pain’s gone, and the same feeling of euphoria is there! Yay! Except, at some point addiction sets in, and then the person doesn’t even want to get high, he just wants to avoid the physical withdrawals of the drug — not fun at all. A few to test positive for opiates during post-fight drug tests include Bas Rutten, Karo Parysian, James Irvin, and Chris Leben. Those are just a few who have tested positive, and doesn’t include all of the assorted pills flying around the mouths of fighters while not in camp.
But maybe the fighter is lucky, and he avoids any serious injuries. He’ll be okay, right? If I were a magic 8-ball I’d say, “The odds are not in his favor.” The reason? The stresses of professional sports on an athlete are insane. There are the constant physical demands, but there are a ton of mental demands too. There’s the amazing high of victory (getting your hand raised in the cage after a long camp), and trying to recreate that feeling. Then, there’s the depression of losing, and trying to eliminate that feeling. In MMA, there are the anxieties of paying bills and having to pull out of fights due to injury, or maybe your opponent pulls out, or the show doesn’t pay you, or any number of things that lead you to pull your hair out, which is probably why so many fighters shave their heads.
In all seriousness, though, the demands of the spotlight projected on professional athletes are very hard to deal with, and not just in MMA, but in all sports. Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard’s swimming career was haunted by clinical depression, bulimia, and drug and alcohol abuse according to a 2012 article written for Bloomberg, which also mentions Australian Olympian Geoff Huegill‘s strugle with depression and substance abuse. All of those bouts of depression and anxiety, coupled with the availability of drugs, can lead one to a slippery slope — and that’s not even mentioning the involvement of steroids, which are known to cause depression when athletes cycle off of them. I’ve personally come into contact with many fighters that have claimed bouts of depression, and recently Bellator champion Pat Curran has come out publicly discussing his own bouts of depression.
And it continues. Yes, there is even another tie between fighters and drug use. Insane, right?
Most of the previous reasons for MMA athletes to fall victim to drug abuse can be applied to other sports, but this next point is very specific to combat sports athletes who receive repeated blows to the head as part of the job. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is real and it’s finally starting to get the recognition as a major downfall of professional sports, especially football and any form of pugilism.
CTE, as defined by the Sports Legacy Institute] is “a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma. This trauma, which includes multiple concussions, triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last concussion or end of active athletic involvement. The brain degeneration is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, paranoia, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.”
Many suffering from CTE aren’t even aware that CTE exists, let alone are aware that they may be suffering from it. Instead of seeking professional treatment, drugs and alcohol regularly are used to treat the symptoms, creating more problems, and, often times, leading to deeper addiction.
So, there you have it: MMA fighters are screwed. Though maybe it doesn’t have to be that way. If we demand that our athletes be drug free, we sure as hell need to guarantee that fighters are aware of the problems that may occur with substance abuse in their chosen sport. Coaches need to make sure fighters are able to distinguish between minor aches and pains, and real injuries. Coaches also need to be able to recognize a fighter who has been consuming too many substances, whether those happen to be painkillers, alcohol, recreational drugs, or steroids. Athletes need to be educated about the pitfalls and dangers of drug use, and be aware of what they are putting in their bodies in general. They also need to be cognizant of the strains the sport will place on a person, and that they aren’t supermen, regardless of how dominant they are in the cage; help is available to anyone, and we often need it. Doctors need to focus more on preventative medicine than prescription medicine, and be aware of the drug-seeking signs exhibited by the addicted. And, last, fans need to have a little compassion too. Fighters, and athletes in general, are people just like everyone else. We all have our problems.
It seems that there isn’t one single reason why fighters are prone to becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs, just as there isn’t one single reason anyone becomes addicted to anything, but a myriad of factors play a role — more-so for athletes, especially those that get punched in the face for a living.
