UFC fighters are subject to testing by both USADA year-round, and, once a bout contract is signed, also by the athletic commission regulating the event.
At the Nevada Athletic Commission monthly meeting on Wednesday, held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two UFC fighters were issued suspensions after testing positive for demon weed in connection with fights.
UFC lightweight Kevin Croom’s UFC debut was at UFC on ESPN+ 35 on September 12. The Hard-Hitting Hillbilly took a fight on one day’s notice, submitted Roosevelt Roberts, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. It’s an awesome story. And now it’s ruined.
On Wednesday the NAC approved an agreement under which Croom is:
•Suspended four and a half months, until January 26, 2021;
•Fined $1,800;
•Assessed prosecutor fees of $145.36;
•Pass a drug screen 30 days, 15 days and three days before the next contest in order to regain licensure in Nevada; and;
•Win changed to No Contest.
UFC welterweight Niko Price fought Donald Cowboy Cerrone to a Majority Draw at UFC on ESPN+ 36 on September 19, but tested positive for carboxy THC, a prohibited cannabinoid. His temporary suspension has been extended, and the NAC expects to resolve the issue in December.
Dana White’s Contender Series fighter Jose Flores was also issued a four-and-a-half month suspensions for cannabis use. Flores is suspended until December 4, and saw his fine reduced to $750, and was assessed prosecution fees of $145.36
In 2015 the NSAC suspended Nick Diaz for five years after his third Demon Weed failure, and fined him $165,000, plus attorney’s fees and costs; this was a gross injustice, and of course it was later substantially reduced after Diaz contested it. The commission tests for recreational drugs not in an attempt to catch law breakers, but rather to make sure fighters are not high when they compete. However, given the ubiquity of short-notice fights, the varying length of time cannabis traces can remain in the system, the unknown effects of dehydration on the tests, and changing social mores around its use, the time to stop testing for it is has arrived. The juice of catching a fighter who might be high to some extent is not worth the squeeze of repeatedly suspending and fining fighters who weren’t high and did nothing wrong. If a fighter shows signs of impairment, by all means test them for drugs and alcohol, and fine them heavily – no one should fight high on anything.
But if a fighter shows no signs of impairment, don’t test.
In other commission matters:
•Heavyweight Chad Johnson, who lost to Josh Parisian at Dana White’s Contender Series 29 on August 18 was suspended for nine-months, fined $750, and must pay prosecution fees totaling $145.36, for testing positive for a banned amphetamine.
•Joe Pyfer, who suffered a TKO loss due to injury at DWCS 28 on Aug. 11, tested positive for modulator metabolites and was granted a continuance to a later date.
H/t John Morgan for MMA Junkie
