Nick Diaz hasn’t stepped foot into the Octagon since his UFC 183 showdown with Anderson Silva back in 2015. Both men ended up failing drug tests, Silva for performance-enhancing drugs and Diaz for marijuana, a subsequent offense. Diaz and his brother Nate have always been a prickly pair but Nick has proven to be especially difficult […]
Nick Diaz hasn’t stepped foot into the Octagon since his UFC 183 showdown with Anderson Silva back in 2015. Both men ended up failing drug tests, Silva for performance-enhancing drugs and Diaz for marijuana, a subsequent offense.
Diaz and his brother Nate have always been a prickly pair but Nick has proven to be especially difficult to get back to fighting.
UFC VP of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky remains optimistic about Nick Diaz’s return, recently discussing his thoughts on the matter on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast:
“Nick was our first fighter that ran into the whereabouts issues. So he got three whereabouts failures in a rolling 12 months, so he’s currently going through that process. It’s a tough one.
“I think he does (want to fight). I think he does. I’ve sat down with him over the past couple months trying to resolve this whereabouts issues. The unfortunate thing there is, look, the whereabouts failures are there to catch people that are cheating and trying to avoid testing. I just think Nick’s lifestyle led to those three whereabouts, not that he was trying to avoid testing. We’re trying to work through that.”
Diaz is provisionally suspended due to failure to notify USADA of his whereabouts, but Novitzky believes he will compete again once the suspension ends.
UFC athletes must provide USADA with there whereabouts three times a year, something Diaz failed to do. However, Novitzky believes that Diaz’s negligence was probably due to the circle of friends and managers he keeps, people who ensure their fighter is on the up-and-up at all times:
“(Diaz) trusted certain individuals to do his whereabouts for him. What I think happened was, over time, those individuals were in and out of his life, and it was unbeknownst to him that he was missing all these things. But again, there’s strict liability here. He’s currently under sanction, but we’re hoping to resolve that pretty quick.”
Do you expect to see Nick Diaz fight in the UFC again?
After going on three full years of drug and alcohol-related trouble limiting him to just two total fights, disgraced former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is currently facing what could be his biggest punishment. In need of a big star to root for, the majority of the MMA world welcomed Jones back with open arms […]
After going on three full years of drug and alcohol-related trouble limiting him to just two total fights, disgraced former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is currently facing what could be his biggest punishment.
In need of a big star to root for, the majority of the MMA world welcomed Jones back with open arms in his umpteenth comeback fight against Daniel Cormier in the main event of last July’s UFC 214, a fight “Bones” was returning from a yearlong suspension for testing positive for two banned substances prior to his previously scheduled rematch with Cormier at UFC 200 in July 2016.
Jones said all the right things, behaved himself for the most part, and then, most importantly, he beat his most accomplished and heated rival with a third-round head kick of epic proportions. UFC 214 was one of the UFC’s few scarce box office successes in terms of pay-per-view throughout 2017, but the MMA world was then somehow shocked and not surprised at all when Jones failed an in-competition test for anabolic steroid Turinabol.
Jones’ has since claimed the tainted supplement defense, a go-to response that has actually gotten a few fighters reduced suspensions under USADA’s tenure, but it’s also a kind of fool-me-once type of deal with many fans after Jones’ now-infamous ‘dick pills’ excuse for his UFC 200 failure – an incident for which he received the maximum punishment for a first-time offender under their program. Jones could face up to a four-year suspension, yet somehow, there seem to be some slight cracks opening for the embattled would-be UFC legend to make yet another comeback.
Any possibility of Jones coming back, according to UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky on a recent episode of ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast (via MMA Mania), could rest on the fact that any top athlete who was knowingly tested probably would not intentionally use Turinabol as a means of getting a leg up on their opponent:
“I’ve said this awhile now, it would not make a lot of sense for an individual, a UFC athlete who knew, especially a champion or contender like Jon Jones, who knew ‘Hey, I’m tested quite regularly in the program,’ would not make a lot of sense that (Turinabol) would be your drug of choice if you were intentionally trying to cheat.
“USADA did another test on Jon after his positive test and he was negative. Who knows where it plays out, but certainly on the surface of things, I have said, with that type of information out there, it wouldn’t indicate intentional use.”
Indeed the timing and selection of performance-enhancing drug are both odd, especially considering that Jones was tested the day before the fight at the weigh-ins and would have known that was coming.
With more supplements turning up with banned substances in them based on the strict USADA guidelines, it could be possible that Jones somehow ingested Turinabol this way, yet it’s also tough to believe any excuse he makes after his list of transgressions has grown so long it’s hard to keep track of.
It should seem to be another ‘wait and see’ type of proposition for Jones and his fans; however, if any UFC competitor can buck the odds and come back for another high-profile fight, it would probably be Jones.
If the UFC welcomes him back or not would be another question, but with so few bankable stars on the roster, they just may.
After going on three full years of drug and alcohol-related trouble limiting him to just two total fights, disgraced former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is currently facing what could be his biggest punishment. In need of a big star to root for, the majority of the MMA world welcomed Jones back with open arms […]
After going on three full years of drug and alcohol-related trouble limiting him to just two total fights, disgraced former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is currently facing what could be his biggest punishment.
In need of a big star to root for, the majority of the MMA world welcomed Jones back with open arms in his umpteenth comeback fight against Daniel Cormier in the main event of last July’s UFC 214, a fight “Bones” was returning from a yearlong suspension for testing positive for two banned substances prior to his previously scheduled rematch with Cormier at UFC 200 in July 2016.
Jones said all the right things, behaved himself for the most part, and then, most importantly, he beat his most accomplished and heated rival with a third-round head kick of epic proportions. UFC 214 was one of the UFC’s few scarce box office successes in terms of pay-per-view throughout 2017, but the MMA world was then somehow shocked and not surprised at all when Jones failed an in-competition test for anabolic steroid Turinabol.
Jones’ has since claimed the tainted supplement defense, a go-to response that has actually gotten a few fighters reduced suspensions under USADA’s tenure, but it’s also a kind of fool-me-once type of deal with many fans after Jones’ now-infamous ‘dick pills’ excuse for his UFC 200 failure – an incident for which he received the maximum punishment for a first-time offender under their program. Jones could face up to a four-year suspension, yet somehow, there seem to be some slight cracks opening for the embattled would-be UFC legend to make yet another comeback.
Any possibility of Jones coming back, according to UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky on a recent episode of ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast (via MMA Mania), could rest on the fact that any top athlete who was knowingly tested probably would not intentionally use Turinabol as a means of getting a leg up on their opponent:
“I’ve said this awhile now, it would not make a lot of sense for an individual, a UFC athlete who knew, especially a champion or contender like Jon Jones, who knew ‘Hey, I’m tested quite regularly in the program,’ would not make a lot of sense that (Turinabol) would be your drug of choice if you were intentionally trying to cheat.
“USADA did another test on Jon after his positive test and he was negative. Who knows where it plays out, but certainly on the surface of things, I have said, with that type of information out there, it wouldn’t indicate intentional use.”
Indeed the timing and selection of performance-enhancing drug are both odd, especially considering that Jones was tested the day before the fight at the weigh-ins and would have known that was coming.
With more supplements turning up with banned substances in them based on the strict USADA guidelines, it could be possible that Jones somehow ingested Turinabol this way, yet it’s also tough to believe any excuse he makes after his list of transgressions has grown so long it’s hard to keep track of.
It should seem to be another ‘wait and see’ type of proposition for Jones and his fans; however, if any UFC competitor can buck the odds and come back for another high-profile fight, it would probably be Jones.
If the UFC welcomes him back or not would be another question, but with so few bankable stars on the roster, they just may.
When UFC 1 took place on a cold November night back in 1993 from McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, it ignited the beginning of the world’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, fueled by the concept of the best fighting the best to call themselves champion. It may have been extremely rough around the edges in […]
When UFC 1 took place on a cold November night back in 1993 from McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, it ignited the beginning of the world’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, fueled by the concept of the best fighting the best to call themselves champion.
It may have been extremely rough around the edges in those ‘dark’ days where the sport having few rules and regulation had it on the precipice of doom, but the opposite is very much true today. After the Fertitta brothers along with Dana White purchased the UFC for a paltry sum and turned it into a legitimately regulated competition watched on pay-per-view the world over, the UFC exploded into a global brand that put shows on nearly every weekend.
When its popularity peaked in 2016 on the heels of the Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz rivalry, the Fertitta brothers saw an opportunity to cash in, and cash in they did. Selling the UFC to Hollywood talent giant WME-IMG (now Endeavor) for a then-record $4.2 billion, one of the biggest franchise sales in sports (of any kind) history was complete. But all was not rosy. This year has seen the advent of some truly horrific pay-per-view and television ratings, with UFC 213, UFC 215, and UFC 216 ranking as three of the lowest-watched PPVs ever, while December’s TUF 26 Finale was the least-watched UFC live event of all-time.
So while it was undoubtedly rough around the edges in its infancy, the UFC is dealing with a whole different set of problems heading into 2018, and many would argue that the UFC owners don’t exactly know what they’re doing. A growing sense is that the Hollywood agency is now trying to book the more mainstream, over-the-top spectacle fights rather than those that clearly have a more legitimate meaning based on meritocracy.
It’s lead to a steady stream of criticism that the UFC is becoming more like pro-wrestling and their WWE counterpart, obviously not the most endearing of words from fight fans. The argument, unfortunately, cannot be totally denied. Let’s take a look at the reasons why:
Jason Silva/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire
5.) Titles Mean Next To Nothing:
Endeavor has to be commended for finally getting the middleweight division moving in the right direction by booking Robert Whittaker vs. Luke Rockhold for UFC 221, but there is one weight class that is an absolute mess in the UFC.
It’s obviously Conor McGregor’s held-hostage lightweight division, where “The Notorious” fought once and won the belt way back at UFC 205 in November 2016 before leaving to box – and lose – to Floyd Mayweather for the entirety of 2017. McGregor made the record-setting payday he was always looking for and can’t be blamed for doing it, but the fact remains the 155-pound landscape, which is still one of the most talented in MMA, has no clarity whatsoever at the current moment.
An interim belt was given to Tony Ferguson at October’s UFC 216, but without a path to a unification bout with McGregor, he opted to have elbow surgery, leaving not one but two champions on the sidelines with no real news about a return. Take into account the middleweight situation as well, where Michael Bisping was allowed to avoid the top 10 contenders by facing a retiring No. 14 Dan Henderson and an unretiring Georges St-Pierre, who had never even fought in the division. St-Pierre won and vacated the belt hardly a month later.
Interim titles are also created around much more frequently, making them seem more like the WWE titles that are handed over and won back on a never-ending cycle.
Because of these occurrences, UFC titles seem like little more than gold belts to be flaunted after a win rather than symbols of true MMA supremacy to be defended with pride.
When UFC 1 took place on a cold November night back in 1993 from McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, it ignited the beginning of the world’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, fueled by the concept of the best fighting the best to call themselves champion. It may have been extremely rough around the edges in […]
When UFC 1 took place on a cold November night back in 1993 from McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, it ignited the beginning of the world’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, fueled by the concept of the best fighting the best to call themselves champion.
It may have been extremely rough around the edges in those ‘dark’ days where the sport having few rules and regulation had it on the precipice of doom, but the opposite is very much true today. After the Fertitta brothers along with Dana White purchased the UFC for a paltry sum and turned it into a legitimately regulated competition watched on pay-per-view the world over, the UFC exploded into a global brand that put shows on nearly every weekend.
When its popularity peaked in 2016 on the heels of the Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz rivalry, the Fertitta brothers saw an opportunity to cash in, and cash in they did. Selling the UFC to Hollywood talent giant WME-IMG (now Endeavor) for a then-record $4.2 billion, one of the biggest franchise sales in sports (of any kind) history was complete. But all was not rosy. This year has seen the advent of some truly horrific pay-per-view and television ratings, with UFC 213, UFC 215, and UFC 216 ranking as three of the lowest-watched PPVs ever, while December’s TUF 26 Finale was the least-watched UFC live event of all-time.
So while it was undoubtedly rough around the edges in its infancy, the UFC is dealing with a whole different set of problems heading into 2018, and many would argue that the UFC owners don’t exactly know what they’re doing. A growing sense is that the Hollywood agency is now trying to book the more mainstream, over-the-top spectacle fights rather than those that clearly have a more legitimate meaning based on meritocracy.
It’s lead to a steady stream of criticism that the UFC is becoming more like pro-wrestling and their WWE counterpart, obviously not the most endearing of words from fight fans. The argument, unfortunately, cannot be totally denied. Let’s take a look at the reasons why:
Jason Silva/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire
5.) Titles Mean Next To Nothing:
Endeavor has to be commended for finally getting the middleweight division moving in the right direction by booking Robert Whittaker vs. Luke Rockhold for UFC 221, but there is one weight class that is an absolute mess in the UFC.
It’s obviously Conor McGregor’s held-hostage lightweight division, where “The Notorious” fought once and won the belt way back at UFC 205 in November 2016 before leaving to box – and lose – to Floyd Mayweather for the entirety of 2017. McGregor made the record-setting payday he was always looking for and can’t be blamed for doing it, but the fact remains the 155-pound landscape, which is still one of the most talented in MMA, has no clarity whatsoever at the current moment.
An interim belt was given to Tony Ferguson at October’s UFC 216, but without a path to a unification bout with McGregor, he opted to have elbow surgery, leaving not one but two champions on the sidelines with no real news about a return. Take into account the middleweight situation as well, where Michael Bisping was allowed to avoid the top 10 contenders by facing a retiring No. 14 Dan Henderson and an unretiring Georges St-Pierre, who had never even fought in the division. St-Pierre won and vacated the belt hardly a month later.
Interim titles are also created around much more frequently, making them seem more like the WWE titles that are handed over and won back on a never-ending cycle.
Because of these occurrences, UFC titles seem like little more than gold belts to be flaunted after a win rather than symbols of true MMA supremacy to be defended with pride.
Top light heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir may be heading into the biggest bout of his life when he meets current champion Daniel Cormier at January 20’s UFC 220, but he’ll apparently still be dealing with a felony charge when he does. Today, public records acquired via MMA Fighting revealed that the Stae of Florida was moving […]
Top light heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir may be heading into the biggest bout of his life when he meets current champion Daniel Cormier at January 20’s UFC 220, but he’ll apparently still be dealing with a felony charge when he does.
Today, public records acquired via MMA Fighting revealed that the Stae of Florida was moving ahead with a felony charge against Oezdemir, with a court appearance apparently having been set. Oezdemir’s second-degree felony charge of aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability has been moved down to third-degree felony battery causing great bodily harm.
The rising light heavyweight was originally charged with battery in November. Records stated that judge Barbara R. Duffy would preside over his arraignment hearing in the Broward County Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court on January 9, 2018. Records also showed that state attorney Michael J. Satz had filed the new, lowered charge on December 15, and Duffy had issued a no-bond arrest warrant for Oezdemir, which will only come into play if the Swiss knockout slugger fails to appear in court.
Oezdemir’s trouble dates back to an alegged August 12th incident where he supposedly struck and knocked out Florida man Kevin Cohen for 14 minutes. Cohen also told police he was treated for symptoms of concussion and required staples for multiple lacerations. The alleged incident took place at a bar called Capone’s, where Cohen said he walked outside of after hearing his friend had been knocked out. When he asked who did, according to him, Oezdemir then knocked him out.
Although the charge he’s facing carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail, Oezdemir and his attorney Bruce Zimet have insisted he was merely acting in self-defense. Both Zimet and the UFC did not respond to inquiries from MMA Fighting.
