Fabricio Werdum received a two-year USADA suspension for the anabolic steroid trenbolone and a metabolite, stemming from a test in May of 2018. He then retired, and the suspension tolled. However, he ultimately determined to return to the Octagon, and the suspension was reduced to ten months, as a result of Substantial Assistance, leaving him eligible to fight on April 1, 2020. That was in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

He fought Aleksei Oleinik on May 9, 2020 losing a Split Decision; he didn’t look himself. Now he fights Alexander Gustafsson, who also MMA retired and is now moving up to heavyweight, on the main card of UFC on ESPN 14 on Saturday.

Werdum is scheduled to face on July 25, 2020 at UFC on ESPN 14. At Tuesday’s virtual media day for the event, “Vai Cavalo” said training for Oleinik under restrictions imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19 was far less than ideal.

I wasn’t able to train like I should, explained Werdum through an interpreter. The pandemic, which is still going on today, so I preferred to fight as soon as possible to keep that rhythm because I was in a halt for too long. I’m 42 years old, and so I want to fight as often as possible so I can end my career. I never had a fight where I didn’t do sparring because the pandemic was very strong, so it’s something I now learned, that training online doesn’t work.

This time was very complete. I was able to do sparring, jiu-jitsu, the physical part, which is very important and the mental work, as well. So I had a complete camp.

Werdum is now 42, and although heavyweights in combat sports typically peak later, he’s still at that time when retirement is on the visible horizon.

It’s hard for us as fighters to talk about that and to realize when it’s coming,” he said. “So we’re going to have to talk about that after July 25 when I sit down and think about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyxqNubSsIU

h/t/t h/t Danny Segura and John Morgan for MMA Junkie