We’ve already discusses the foundations within the UFC on a number of events, so it’s best to by now know the way the organisation features. There are guidelines associated to unlawful strikes, to weight and to unlawful substances, all of that are equally necessary as a result of they make the sport truthful and respectable. So, in a perfect world – each fighter respects the foundations and there aren’t any cheaters. Nevertheless it isn’t like that, is it?
The UFC has a comparatively wealthy historical past of cheaters and we’re going to dedicate right now’s article to a few of the greatest dishonest scandals within the organisation. A few of them ruined careers, a few of them brought about giant scandals, however all of them have been massive tales that illustrate the significance of guidelines and the way cheaters are unwelcome in any sport.
How Can UFC fighters cheat?
Earlier than we head off to particular person circumstances, we’ll briefly present you the way UFC fighters can really cheat. There are three doable methods.
1. By dishonest on the size throughout weigh in
Fighters have numerous methods to try this. They might drink numerous water simply earlier than going to the size, or deliberately starve themselves, relying on the specified purpose. Since fighters don’t go to the size the second earlier than the match, however moderately someday earlier than, there’s sufficient time to control numbers. See our article about how precisely do UFC fighters minimize weight.
2. Through the use of unlawful strikes throughout a battle
We’ve listed the unlawful strikes in MMA in a few of our earlier articles, so you’ll want to verify them out for a whole checklist. What we have to and may say right here is that numerous fighters might obscurely break the foundations. Throughout a clinch, a fighter would possibly deliberately choke you or shut your airflows, he would possibly punch you in elements which can be off limits, or he can break the foundations in another manner as to get an unfair benefit.
3. Through the use of unlawful substances
Unlawful substances (additionally referred to as efficiency enhancing medicine or PED) are the very last thing on our checklist. That is additionally essentially the most typically seen manner of dishonest. Doping scandals aren’t unique to MMA, they’re current in all sports activities, however we have now to state that the UFC has had its justifiable share of scandals involving unlawful substances.
UFC’s Stance on Unlawful Substances
We will now briefly analyse the UFC’s stance on unlawful substances, whereas supplying you with an introduction into what they’re. Efficiency-enhancing medicine (PED) are a bunch of various substances which can be used to enhance the bodily efficiency of people. They’re most frequently utilized in sports activities, however can be utilized in quite a lot of different conditions.
Whereas all PED should not prohibited or unlawful per se, their utilization in sports activities is strictly regulated, as they can provide one fighter an unfair benefit over the opposite. Because of this PED are – in skilled and newbie sports activities – typically prohibited and their utilization is strictly managed.
A wide range of anti-doping companies are energetic in all sports activities they usually strictly management th utilization of PED; this side is so necessary {that a} violation of anti-doping guidelines can finish the profession of a sportsperson straight away. Simply bear in mind the likes of Lance Armstrong or Ben Johnson, but additionally the scandal that hit Russian sports activities in recent times.
The forms of PED are:
Anabolic medicine (steroids, hormones, prodrugs, and so on.)Stimulants (caffeine, ephedrine, methylphenidate, amphetamine, and so on.)Ergogenic acids (bupropion, creatine, methylphenidate, and so on.)Biomolecules (creatine, and so on.)AdaptogensNootropicsPainkillers (ibuprofen, and so on.)Sedatives and anxiolytics (ethanol, hashish, and so on.)Blood boosters (rhEPO, and so on.)Gene doping
As we’ve stated, anti-doping companies management using these substances; their abuse is severely punished and will finish a fighter’s profession.
So, what’s the UFC’s stance on doping?
In 2015, the UFC introduced that it had signed a contract with america Anti-Doping Company (USADA), whereby USADA turned the official, unbiased doping testing company of the UFC. The anti-doping guidelines have been introduced somewhen throughout the identical 12 months. The deal features a minimal of two,750 drug assessments per 12 months with a median of 5 assessments per fighter, and extreme punishments for fighters who fail the assessments.
Beneath the anti-doping guidelines, fighters are topic to random assessments at any time and place on all in- and out-of-competition blood and urine samples collected by USADA.
Fighters should take part within the testing pool for no less than six months previous to a battle with the intention to qualify for a UFC occasion. In early 2017, UFC made some adjustments to its anti-doping laws, which resulted within the following adjustments:
New fighters are topic to a one-month testing rule, a change from the sooner four-monthtesting rule;Returning fighters (from retirement, a hiatus, and so on.) are topic to the six-month testing rule;New fighters who admit to having used PED earlier than the testing shall not be topic topunishment;In-competition testing begins at midday on the weigh-in day and ends one hour after a fighterclears a post-fight medical for non-selected post-fight testing. For fighters who’re subjectedto post-fight testing the in-competition testing ends after any post-fight testing is finished.
So, how does all of it work? In 2015, USADA performed 353 assessments and 2291 assessments in 2016 on 586 UFC fighters with Anderson Silva examined essentially the most of a complete of 15 occasions. In 2017 and 2018 a complete of 2818 and 2888 assessments have been performed by USADA respectively.
One other massive change got here in 2018, when it was introduced that the UFC wouldn’t be disclosing the names of potential violators, after a number of fighters had been flagged as violators solely to be cleared afterward (often attributable to unintentional consummation by way of contaminated dietary supplements). The foundations have been modified as soon as extra in 2019, when the checklist of PED was up to date. As of Could 16, 2019, a complete of 76 UFC fighters have been sanctioned by USADA for the reason that UFC USADA testing program began.
Within the following paragraphs, we’re going to current to you a few of the most well-known and infamous dishonest scandals within the UFC, so maintain studying.
UFC Fighters Caught Dishonest:
1) Alistair Overeem
Dutch fighter Alistair Overeem was a real sensation when he beat legendary Brock Lesnar into retirement throughout his UFC debut. That sensational win bought him a essential card battle on the UFC 146, the place he was speculated to battle Junior dos Santos for the Heavyweight Championship title. All was good till the Nevada State Athletic Fee (NSAC) introduced that Overeem had failed a pre-match take a look at, having a loopy 14:1 testosterone-epitestosterone ratio.
This resulted in Overeem shedding his spot on the UFC 146 and in him getting a strong 9-month ban. This brought about a scandal as a result of the Overeem – dos Santos battle was speculated to be the principle occasion of the night time. White shortly reacted and changed Overeem with Frank Mir, however this nonetheless stays as one of the vital related dishonest scandals within the UFC.
2) Nick Diaz
This man deserves his personal article due to how silly he’s. This can be a complete no-brainer, fairly probably the most important no-brainer on this checklist. His document has all the things – misses media occasions, missed fights, incidents contained in the cage, incidents outdoors the cage and so many failed doping assessments that it will be too lengthy of an inventory to call all of them.
Diaz is undoubtedly one of the vital controversial figures within the UFC, however his infamous popularity wouldn’t be that a lot of an issue have been he not a repeated cheater who tarnished his popularity by repeatedly taking unlawful substances. So, with out having the ability to stress out one actual scandal, we are able to solely state that every time Diaz’s title comes up, you possibly can solely hope that there can be no scandal.
3) Rousimar Palhares
This man is, like Nate Diaz, worthy of a separate article, however for very totally different causes. Diaz is scandalous, he’s a no brainer who lakes to stir issues up, however Palhares is only a – cheater. He broke numerous rule throughout his comparatively quick profession within the UFC and is notorious for being, fairly probably, the UFC’s greatest cheater.
Though he had a substance-related problem, he’s most well-known for breaking the foundations of conduct, being too savage (the attention gouging incident in opposition to Shields) and refusing to take heed to the referees on the subject of interrupting submissions and acknowledging tapings. Though fined, punished and reprimanded, Palhares refused to apologise every time, regardless of his conduct being doubtlessly life-threatening. On account of this, he was kicked out of the UFC for all times again in 2015, fined and likewise stripped of his then-owned belt.
4) Anderson Silva
The legendary Brazilian has had his justifiable share of fame within the UFC, however a doping scandal tarnished his profession not solely due to the unlawful substances he had been utilizing, but additionally due to his unbelievable stupidity. Silva was a long-time undefeated champion within the UFC till, at one level, he misplaced a number of fights in a row and was in a fairly tight spot. No matter he did, he couldn’t regain the title, though his popularity was nonetheless comparatively untarnished.
After which – the silly factor occurred. The earlier than talked about NSAC introduced that Silva examined constructive for steroids. He determined to plead the case earlier than the NSAC, however determined to concoct a silly story that was torn to shreds when the NSAC realised his timeline was off. Silva informed the committee that he had taken Viagra from Thailand that should have had an unlawful substance, which he didn’t learn about. The story was utter bull**it and Silva was silly to even try to cowl up his dishonest, thereby utterly tarnishing his popularity.
5) Thiago Silva
Silva is a type of guys that simply can’t get a break. He’s all the time on the detrimental lists, he’s all the time within the centre of a scandal and often has points with the legislation. I imply, he’s within the centre of some severe unlawful stuff, so who can blame the authorities, however hey – who’re we to evaluate?
On account of his authorized points, Silva misplaced his UFC contract, his popularity and a shot on the Heavyweight Championship title. Since then, his already declining profession plummeted even deeper when he failed a USADA take a look at, which resulted on this cheated receiving a $33,750 superb and a year-long ban. Apparently sufficient, Silva wasn’t punished for utilizing an unlawful substance, however moderately for offering a false pattern to the fee, so possibly he wasn’t on something, you already know? We’ll know, however what we do know is that he deserves a spot on out checklist of cheaters within the UFC.
(Notice: The specimen he supplied wasn’t even human!)
6) Wanderlei Silva
One other Brazilian on our checklist, Wanderlei Silva is notoriously identified for his aggressive fight and a really unorthodox preventing type. Silva is notoriously identified for utilizing banned substances and he is without doubt one of the few fighters who really made their careers on being excessive, which elevated their aggression. The issue appeared when the UFC determined to regulate using unlawful substances, which successfully ended the careers of fighters like Silva.
Throughout one bout, Silva brazenly declined to bear a drug take a look at, a transfer which finally value him his profession and his popularity. His profession within the UFC was utterly executed. The rigorous NSAC fined Silva with $70,000 – a considerable quantity – and finally issued a lifetime ban, which – as was acknowledged – successfully ended his UFC profession. It’s completely essential to sanction such behaviour and get rid of such cheaters from the sport.
7) Jon Jones
Sure, women and gents – Jon Jones, the legendary UFC champion – can be on our checklist of cheaters within the UFC. Jones is a powerful presence within the UFC and certainly one of its legendary champions, however his profession was marred by two substance-related incidents that nearly ruined his popularity, together with slowing down and virtually destroying his entire profession.
The primary incident value him his Mild Heavyweight title, when it was introduced – after the UFC 182 occasion – that he examined constructive for none apart from cocaine. Quickly after, he was in an accident and was out of the Octagon for an entire 12 months. After his return, he gained the interim title, however finally misplaced that too, after one other failed drug take a look at. He was stripped of his title, fined and banned for an additional 12 months. Simply think about what two years can do to an expert UFC profession?!
Then again, there are some circumstances when UFC fighters bought away with dishonest, listed below are the few:
https://youtu.be/w8nq_lZYy2Y
That’s it for right now. Keep tuned for extra info on martial arts and fight sports activities and see you subsequent time!
