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The preposterous anti-marijuana, pro-testosterone regulatory standard in combat sports

By Zach Arnold | May 15, 2013

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On Tuesday, Jonathan Snowden published a hell of an article regarding UFC fighter contracts. Just remember as you read the piece that fighters praise the quality of UFC’s contracts in relations to Bellator/Viacom fighter contracts.

Who knew that article would be viewed as positive public relations compared to the news that broke on Tuesday night. Another marijuana meltdown for UFC management.

We know Nick Diaz’s history and how he has tried to fight the Nevada State Athletic Commission. UFC went after Thiago Silva for failing a marijuana drug test in Macau. Matt Riddle found himself kicked to the curb after failing tests. Dave Herman has tested positive for marijuana metabolites after his Brazil fight and was sent to rehab for 30 days. Then there was Robert Peralta in Sweden. Now, we have Pat Healy. Not only did New Jersey suspend him for 90 days, the UFC is reportedly set to confiscate a lot of bonus money away from him. Six figures worth of cash lost. Over testing positive for marijuana. Not cocaine. Not a performance-enhancing drug. Marijuana.

“I would like to start off by apologizing to the UFC, Jim Miller, the MMA community, its fans, my family, teammates and coaches for my positive testing for marijuana after my UFC 159 fight with Jim Miller,” he stated. “I was fully aware of the UFC and state commission’s drug policies and made poor life choices.

“I stand behind the UFC and state commission’s disciplinary actions. I support efforts to make MMA (and sports) a clean, safe and fair place to compete.

“I made a very poor choice to socially use marijuana and now I must face the consequences of that choice. I can assure you that I will do everything the UFC and state commission asks of me and beyond. I will make a conscious effort to be a better role model within the MMA community.”

Marijuana is not a performance-enhancing drug, despite what Keith Kizer and Joe Rogan continue to claim publicly. The reason athletic commissions test for marijuana is because it’s easy to detect the metabolites and it’s a quick way to confiscate cash. The only logical reason to test for marijuana with fighters is if you have a pre-fight drug testing policy in which you get drug testing results before a bout takes place and if the presence of said metabolites is so recent that it could de-hance (if you want to call it that) the performance of the fighter in question who is caught using marijuana.

However, that is not the system we have right now in place. Athletic commissions (along with the UFC for overseas events) do pre-fight and post-fight drug tests. The point of drug testing should be to prevent those using performance-enhancing substances from actually fighting in the cage when they’re on something. Instead, the drug testing protocols are completely backwards.

The UFC’s attitude of prosecuting fighters for marijuana usage by confiscating cash, having them apologize publicly, and sending them to rehab is something out of the 1980s war on drugs playbook. If the UFC & athletic commissions can prove that a fighter is competing while immediately under the influence of weed, that is one thing. However, they can’t. So why are they in the business of regulating weed usage? $, $, and more $. The UFC isn’t law enforcement trying to stop an idiot for DUI behind the wheel of a car. They’re busting the chops of fighters who use marijuana recreationally because it’s a quick cash grab and an even quicker PR stunt.

It’s easy to go after fighters for marijuana usage and not so easy to go after testosterone users if they aren’t using Carbon Isotope Ratio testing to catch fighters who are using testosterone gels, creams, or pellets via micro-dosing.

Chael Sonnen, the poster boy for testosterone usage in MMA, headlined the UFC 159 PPV in Newark, New Jersey. He continues to get rewarded for being a .500 fighter who uses the base chemical for all anabolic steroids. Juxtapose that with the reported $135,000 hit UFC will unleash on Pat Healy for the presence of marijuana metabolites in a drug test. The message UFC is sending about an anti-marijuana, pro-testosterone tolerance policy is so absurdly irrational and dangerous… and the various state athletic commissions go along with the charade because they want to continue doing business with the UFC and not lose that PPV & TV cash.

Which brings us back to how the UFC structures their fighter contracts & bonus system for as much leverage as possible with the fighters they use. Because of a positive drug test for marijuana metabolites, the UFC will be able to confiscate $135,000 in bonus cash from Pat Healy? It would be one thing if the company used their power and leveraged it against fighters who abuse testosterone & other performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, they are leveraging their power to go after fighters over marijuana usage.

The irony of this company drug policy, given the prime demographic they target (18 to 34 year old males), is incredible.

The only thing worse is that $900,000 fine against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Nevada. When Chavez got hammered, the boxing press & political advocacy groups went hard after Keith Kizer. So far, the reaction amongst the MMA writers at-large over Healy’s suspension has been muted. We’ll see if that changes.

Dr. Tim Trainor

With the testosterone passes flowing in Nevada and other prominent state athletic commissions, I found a touch of irony in this self-serving press release about what a great doctor Tim Trainor, Keith Kizer’s right-hand man, is. You read that right — Trainor posted a press release about how he is America’s top sports doctor. I’m sure Dan Henderson (fighting on June 15th in Winnipeg), Frank Mir, and many other testosterone-using fighters would agree.

Have a permission slip to use testosterone? Things are peachy. Get busted for elevated levels of testosterone without a permission slip? You’re a horrible person. That’s the standard we have now in combat sports.

The UFC’s company policy of confiscating cash from fighters who test positive for marijuana metabolites, along with sending them to rehab and having some of them apologize publicly, is quite different from their level of inconsistency when it comes to dealing with steroid users.

Vitor Belfort fights Luke Rockhold this weekend for UFC’s latest show in Brazil.

Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 60 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

60 Responses to “The preposterous anti-marijuana, pro-testosterone regulatory standard in combat sports”

  1. Beau Dure says:

    I’m about as anti-pot as someone can get, but even I think it’s a little ridiculous to strip someone of that much money.

    I think pot is stupid. I don’t think marijuana use four weeks before a fight is going to affect that fight one bit.

  2. Chris C says:

    Dont fighters who fail PED tests lose their bonus money as well?

    AC shouldnt test for pot but they do, when the UFC goes overseas they do the same testing, they dont pick and choose what to test for.

    it sucks but fighters know the deal, you fail a test you lose your bonus money. If a commission wants to give a TUE for TRT thats on them.

    But I dont think this is a cash grab, trying to steal back money from fighters. You fail a test for anything you dont get your bonus, end of story. When the AC stop testing for pot the UFC wont test for it overseas and fighters wont lose any money.

    Until that happens stop smoking pot, stop doing PED and commissions should stop giving TUE for TRT.

  3. Jamie Penick says:

    I wholly agree with the sentiment regarding the rules that are in place, but just a couple of notes:

    – It’s not necessarily “confiscation” of the money, it’s as if it was never awarded in the first place. The UFC has been withholding bonus checks pending drug test results for some time now.

    – While it’s ridiculous that weed gets tested for in the first place, the simple fact of the matter is that it is tested for; and fighters have plenty of examples before them of it being tested for and hurting careers. So to smoke pot recreationally, or “socially” as Healy called it, is unbelievably stupid in the first place.

    Whether it’s right or not, it’s the rule that’s in place, and until someone successfully lobbies or fights to get that rule changed, it’s the rule they need to follow. And if you want your bonus check money, don’t test positive for something. It’s harsh, but it’s reality.

    • Zach Arnold says:

      – It’s not necessarily “confiscation” of the money, it’s as if it was never awarded in the first place. The UFC has been withholding bonus checks pending drug test results for some time now.

      One of the methods UFC uses financially for incentives to keep fighters aggressive is the bonus system. They are paying bonuses for Fight of the Night, etc.

      What role does testing positive for marijuana metabolites have to do with effecting a fighter’s ability to win such a bonus?

      The only argument you can claim, on that point, is that marijuana is a performance-enhancer and that simply does not pass the laugh test.

      This is a cash grab.

      • Jamie Penick says:

        Again, I’m not disagreeing with you. At the same time, they’ve put it into place that you have to pass your drug test to get your bonus. That’s the rules they have to abide by right now, and Healy failed to. It shouldn’t be tested for, it shouldn’t be persecuted to this extent, but it is, and it hasn’t been changed yet.

      • Chris says:

        You fail a test they keep your bonus, doesnt matter what its for.

        Dont they? If you fail a PED test they keep your bonus, right?

        So its a set penalty for everyone which is what the medai cries about with the way UFC enforces the COC policy. That its case by case, they say it should be a standard set policy, you violate it you get x fine and x suspension.

        So when they do that with drug testing, holding bonuses for anyone who fails a test now everyone wants it to be case by case. Pot is ok, coke is bad, pills are good, PED are bad, this is good, this is bad.

        Its not a cash grab either, I think they can also use this to hopefully get fighters to stop doing it. this is the last thing the UFC wants to deal with, guys popping for anything. Its not a good look, guys get suspended and cant fight on cards so if keeping bonuses on top of getting fined by the AC and suspended can stop it thats what they are trying to do.

      • 45 Huddle says:

        Zach,

        This is not a cash grab on the UFC’s part. They just awarded Bryan Caraway with the SOTN Bonus.

        The only money they got to keep was for FOTN, but how can they reward that to half a fight now? Should Jim Miller lose his half so they can find another fight? That is not fair. Should they just find another fight to give even more money to, basically paying out 3 FOTN bonuses? Why should it cost the UFC money for a fighters failed drug test?

        The UFC did the right thing here. They awarded the next best submission with the money. That is all they could do here. It is not a cash grab. It is a fighter knowing the rules, not following them, and losing out because of it.

        • Chris C says:

          Doubt he replies and admits he was wrong.

          If they didnt award it to someone else he would have a point but since they just took it from Pat and gave it to someone else it wasnt a cash grab to steal back money from fighters,.

  4. Chris says:

    The key word is “Easy”. It’s easy to bust fighters for weed and hold that up as an example about how your sport is being properly regulated. Way harder to go after guys that are legally cheating with a green light from the athletic commission.

  5. 45 Huddle says:

    The Snowden article was partially garbage. He quoted a manager who has stolen from his fighters to get an anti UFC quote. And jis bit about them making $600 Million shows how little he knows of income statements.

    The pot & TRT will slowly work itself out. Eventually TrT use will be illegal. And weed will be legal in America. But fighters will still not be allowed to have weed in their system for a fight whether it is legal or not.

    Why not talk about the company that is not even drug testing their athletes. Ben Askren just said he has only been tested once. That is a huge problem. Sh!tting on the company that actually is testing is sort of a joke when you do not mention the company who runs almost 30 show a year on cable just leaves it to the casinos….

    • Chris says:

      Cause nobody cares about Bellator, it doesnt move the needle.

      Shitting on the UFC does.

      You think the media gives a shit of Bellator tests fighters? If they go to places that dont test, that in 95 events not one fighter has ever been publicly outed for failing a drug test?

    • nottheface says:

      The $600 million figure was given by the Zuffa owners themselves, so its hard to criticize its use. As for Ibarra, it all depends if there was anyone else willing to go on record. If he was it, your kind of stuck with it.

      The Bellator drug testing policies definitely deserve to be looked at, and they should get some heat for it, but Chris is correct in the fact that Bellator just isn’t that important in the overall scheme of things. Hell, they’re not nearly as relevant as Strikeforce was, who were themselves a fraction of the relevancey of the UFC with regards to MMA, so them getting so little attention in this matter shouldn’t be that surprising.

      • 45 Huddle says:

        Who cares who it was given by. It is used completely without context. There are companies that have over $1 Billion worth of revenues that still have a net loss. Should they be paying their employees more because they “make over $1 Billion”?

        It is obvious that Snowden has no clue what he is talking about. Just throwing out a big number without any context is not only meaningless, it is wreckless journalism.

        • nottheface says:

          I thought it was pretty obvious that it was used for comparison with other major league sports, specifically the NFL and how 47% of its total revenue is split with their players.

        • 45 Huddle says:

          Yes, but once again that is irrelevant.

          Those are established sports leagues. The UFC is not. And they are much larger leagues.

          Unless you can compared the fixed costs of the UFC vs. NFL….. Revenue numbers mean nothing….

        • nottheface says:

          I don\’t know why being established or not matters when the UFC is actually more profitable than those established sports teams according to their S&P statements?

        • 45 Huddle says:

          Being established matters when it comes to fixed costs. As the article even pointed out, the UFC has many more fixed costs because they are expanding the business. But then Snowden just throws a random number in there without showing anything else of meaning behind it.

        • nottheface says:

          There fixed costs are irrevelant to the question of “are they making money?” We know, whatever the fixed costs are, that they are seeing huge profits, have paid hundreds of millions out in dividends, and seen the company value skyrocket a reported 1000%.

          Why do fans seem so hesitant to admit that Zuffa has done a great job cornering the market and are making a fortune off it?

        • 45 Huddle says:

          Show me there revenues or EBITDA. S&P doesn’t even disclose those numbers….

        • nottheface says:

          So Zuffa themselves didn’t posit the$600 million in revenue or brag that 2012 was their best year ever or claim the promotion is now worth north of $2 bil?

          As for EBITD, according to to Moody’s Investor Service from Dec 12, 2011, Zuffa’s EBITD was 39% in 2010,

          According to Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer,
          “prediction is that 2013 profits will be back to the 2010 level. Financial experts who had seen the S&P report on UFC in 2010 estimated the before tax profits to be between $110 million and $130 million”

          Why does it seem so impossible that the UFC is actually making a lot of money? What is everyone missing that makes you believe that the promotion is not doing nearly as well as they and everyone else would have us believe?

          http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Behind-the-Curtain-Zuffas-Finances-Come-Into-Focus-9528
          http://www.moodys.com/credit-ratings/Zuffa-LLC-credit-rating-820241467
          http://www.f4wonline.com/component/content/article/29874-feb-25-2013-wrestling-observer-newsletter-elimination-chamber-recap-push-to-get-olympic-wrestling-removal-overturned-wrestlemania-xxx-location-and-new-orleans-history-tons-more
          https://twitter.com/danawhite/status/329620303816818689/photo/1

        • 45 Huddle says:

          Really? 7 year old financials is what you are providing?

          The global expansion would eat into the ebitda margin significantly….

        • nottheface says:

          Are you being intentionally obtuse?

        • 45 Huddle says:

          Obtuse? No. On my phone while quickly glancing at the links? Yes.

          Who said they aren’t making money? I would be shocked if they weren’t making money.

          My problem is that people are basing their decisions on a combination of a lack of understanding of basic financials AND limited facts. EDBITDA has gone down even from the limited facts you have given… as an example.

          Pay for fighters continues to go up. The number of fighters making good money continues to go up. The benefits have gotten better for fighters. Everything is going in the right direction.

          Can there be improvements? Absolutely. Minimum pay for a fight in the UFC should be $10,000 to show. A restructuring of the contracts needs to happen. There is no reason why half a fighters pay should be based on performance. It might have worked in the early years of Zuffa, but the sport has changed.

          But based on the sports growth, UFC fighters are much much better off then their counterparts were during the same business cycle of the major sports leagues.

    • David M says:

      Law professor says UFC contract is worst he has ever seen in sports and you say article is garbage. Shut up troll.

      • nottheface says:

        well somone missed civility class.

      • 45 Huddle says:

        And what does one professor have to do with anything. Give me any topic in the world, and you can find a professor to give you a quote you want on it.

        Snowden is the same guy who wrote the MMA Encyclopedia. Do I need to quote it it again to show people how bad his work is?

        Even in this article, he used a known thief of his own fighters as a source to go against Zuffa.

        **********

        And here is why this professor is full of it…

        He says: “When you look at who gets the money, at the end of the day, it’s disproportionately Zuffa and disproportionately not the fighter,”

        Yet in the article itself it says: “While the MMA promotion of record has generated more overall pay-per-view buys than boxing since hitting its stride in 2009, fighter salaries are kept under lock and key. It’s rumored that they don’t begin to approach mainstream sports money, but information is scarce.”

        So how can this professor talk about fighter pay when he doesn’t have the facts? Give me a break.

        *********

        Not to mention…. Snowden uses FMJ as a comparison to UFC Fighter pay. I always laugh when fighters use that example. The FMJ case is a perfect example of what direct MMA does NOT need to go. They need to emulate every other major sport. You don’t see Tiger Woods getting 85% of the revenues from a PGA Tour…. Despite the fact that 90% of the fans are there to see him. You don’t see Derek Jeter getting 50% of the revenues just because he has a high selling jersey compared to everybody else on the field.

        The compare boxing vs. MMA argument is the weakest argument in all of sports. It is pure garbage and it would completely kill MMA as we watch it today.

        • david m says:

          45 Fumble wrote: “So how can this professor talk about fighter pay when he doesn’t have the facts? Give me a break.”

          The professor was talking about the onerous (I would say this is a contract of adhesion) terms in the CONTRACT, not about the pay. As per usual, you are intellectually dishonest and shameful in your dealings. Troll.

        • 45 Huddle says:

          David M,

          It is funny you are calling me a troll, because you are the one looking like a fool right now.

          So the professor was not talking about pay?

          The quote from the professor is: “When you look at who gets the money, at the end of the day, it’s disproportionately Zuffa and disproportionately not the fighter,”

          Are you sure he still wasn’t talking about pay?

          Give me a break…

        • david m says:

          Give you a break? You deserve no break. You spam and troll and think that posting over and over and over somehow makes you an authority. It doesn’t.

          As per usual, you are caught in a lie and are trying to bs your way out of it. The professor said of the contract “I think it’s potentially a violation of the 13th Amendment, the prohibition against slavery or involuntary servitude. You can’t force someone to work for you. I don’t know how, under contract law, that would be enforceable. But I don’t think it’s been challenged.”

          On the Termination Clause, the professor said “This is an unconscionable term. The term unilaterally benefits the employer with no reciprocal benefit to the fighter. It’s completely one-sided, completely unfair and seems to suggest that any term is a material term for purposes of the employer. Every breach could be a material breach for the fighter, but nothing is for the UFC. There’s an argument there that it’s unconscionable and unenforceable.”

          He again made reference to the 13th Amendment: ” It’s essentially a contract that could have no end. You can’t compel someone to work for you. We’ve prohibited slavery.”

          So, dumbass, this isn’t about money. Trying to distract and pretend it is about money is your cover for your usual douchebaggery and Zuffa nut-hugging. None of the fighters can challenge the contracts because UFC will blacklist the fighter and prevent him from working (given that they are almost the only game in town).

        • edub says:

          45 reminds me of the duck on that south park episode that just sprays actual shit out of his mouth whenever it opens.

          John refuted everything you said earlier, and you basically write 5 broad paragraphs not pertaining at all to the discussion because you have no intelligent response.

          You continue to look ridiculously biased whenever anything anti-zuffa is written.

          Then you rant against Bellator lower in the page for good measure.

    • Jonathan Snowden says:

      “The Snowden article was partially garbage. He quoted a manager who has stolen from his fighters to get an anti UFC quote.”

      Partially garbage. I like that. I’ll use it as a blurb.

      If Ibarra has stolen from fighters, as you so brazenly claim, I’m sure you can support that assertion with facts. Right?

      • 45 Huddle says:

        http://www.mmaconvert.com/2008/09/06/tito-ortiz-elaborates-on-quinton-jacksons-split-with-juanito-ibarra/

        Tito Ortiz said: “Let me explain this to you because it really pisses me off that Ibarra has done what he has done, he is a thief. I have been running training camps for seven years up in Big Bear California and the most that my camp has cost a fighter to attend is $35,000. Ibarra was charging Jackson $65,000 to go to Big Bear. I don’t understand that!! He was being very disrespectful and taking advantage of ‘Rampage’.”

        ************

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APFJQwMuri8

        This is one of the many examples of why you are a joke of a journalist. Dana White admits to getting into a verbal fight with Ibarra in a parking lot a few years ago.

        Ibarra has a reason for a grudge against Dana White. He does not make a credible source. If you did your research, you would have known this.

        ***********

        http://www.cagepotato.com/juanito-ibarra-scumbag-watch-wandy-refuses-training-rampages-former-mentor/

        From Wanderlei Silva about Ibarra… ““I think it’s unethical to accept the former coach of my opponent, and if Juanito is doing this with Rampage, he may do the same with me later.”

        **************

        You are such a bad journalist that it is easy to poke holes in your work. Thanks for the laughs.

        • Alan Conceicao says:

          45 Huddle reduced to using Tito Ortiz as his star witness. Hilarious.

        • edub says:

          So still no proof. Just broad spouting from Tito Ortiz, Quinton Jackson, and an off-handed comment from Wanderlei Silva (after you’ve crushed Jackson and Ortiz here multiple times).

          Sounds about right.

        • Jonthan Snowden says:

          They must define “fact” differently wherever you come from.

          I love that your evidence for foul play is a quote from a third party who wasn’t even involved in the situation. No lawsuit, no criminal charges. A single quote from a bystander.

          Not just a bystander—Tito Ortiz.

          By the way, if you aren’t allowed to quote managers and agents who have been in screaming matches with UFC management, who does that leave?

          The article allowed for many voices. Readers can decide for themselves who was more credible. But the subjects with the most inherent bias, of course, were the UFC executives who are actually parties to the contract. The fact that you picked out Ibarra as the example of “bias” is hysterical.

      • RST says:

        Every Snowden article is partially garbage. Technically he knows MMA like a machine. He’s sound as a pound for that. But whenever he injects his opinion he veers badly off the rails. He shears a bolt and throws a cylinder.

        But thats alright, it gives him character.

        I could probably spot a Snowden article 7-8 times out of 10 without knowing who wrote it, just by reading it.

  6. 45 Huddle says:

    As long as the UFC takes the bonus money for the KO of the night and gives it to somebody else I do not see the problem.

    • Chris says:

      Sadly I dont see them doing that, they will probably just pocket the money.

      it sucks pat will lose this money but hopefully the AC stop testing for it or guys stop smoking.

      But yeah if they are gonna take it away from someone who fails a test they should atleast give the SOTN to someone else.

      • 45 Huddle says:

        Absolutely. And somebody needs to ask Dana White during the next media scrum about this.

        I understand the FOTN award just going back to the UFC…. How do you give that out to a single fighter? But a SOTN & KOOFTN without question needs to transfer to the next fighter in line. It would be a horrible business practice to not do this and unfair to the fighters.

        And I will also go as far as to say that if that fighter was the only one with a KO or Submission that night, then the money needs to go to the next best KO or Submission on the card.

  7. 45 Huddle says:

    Bryan Caraway got the SOTN Bonus that Pat Healy lost…. So the UFC did the right thing here.

    The FOTN bonus is basically lost, but I don’t see how they can resolve that one….

  8. 45 Huddle says:

    BELLATOR RANT OF THE DAY

    They just announced the 4 men in the Heavyweight Tournament this summer.

    The combined 8 fighters in the HW & LHW tournaments this summer…. 7 of the fighters are coming off losses.

    • Megatherium says:

      Maybe Bellator can start courting the potheads with the reality of minimal-to-non existent testing as the carrot. Add in the Russian Caucasus talent pipeline and you have the makings of a very decent potential talent pool.

  9. Chris C says:

    yeah so much for the cash grab theory since they just gave the money to Caraway.

  10. Jeff Montelongo says:

    I feel and believe that pot test failures are an easy, per-incentivized, obvious cash grab by the commissions, not by the UFC/Zuffa. Even if the UFC/Zuffa acts as its own commission when doing drug tests overseas, I don’t think they’re aiming to catch anyone as they have other sources of REAL revenue to focus on rather than some pothead’s sub-$100k fight purse. They have so much more to gain with drug passes than drug failures across the board.

    • Jeff Montelongo says:

      *pre-incentivized (if that’s even a real word. LOL)

      Also, I think the UFC/Zuffa are just being consistent with their fines of drug test failures as they do act as their own athletic commission in overseas shows, and they’re just being comparable as they’re doing what the athletic commissions in terms with instituting and enforcing these fines. UFC/Zuffa is a greedy company and the people who run it and call the shots are greedy (there are both pros & cons to this greed), no doubt, but I don’t think they are in regards to drug test failure fines. Privately and quietly, I’m willing to bet Dana and Co. would love nothing more than to have the commissions not test for pot rather than the current status quo, less negative press and PR in the media headlines for drug test failures. Again, this whole time here I’ve been referring to POT tests & failures, not TRT/HGH/steroids or “traditional” PED’s.

  11. Diaz's cashed bowl says:

    For everyone saying stupid choice, actually not smoking pot is stupid if you are in a combat sport. If you know anything about marijuana other than what the feds tell you through their propaganda pieces.
    Pot is a neuro protective agent, its like putting little headgear on your brain cells, it prevents brain damage from blunt force trauma to the head.
    Is mma a sport which features blunt force trauma to the head?
    You bet your black eye it is! you capitalist dupes!
    Do the powers that be want smarter fighters with the ability to question things like” hey whatever happened to all that money I made?”
    or… do they want subservient yes men who will give up their own personal health and freedom in order to keep their job with the company.

    Face it, the powers that be rub one out every night dreaming of the latter.

    I would say “f.u. i’m keeping that bonus money and quitting this farce right now” “And smoke some pot”

    I would say the same thing to any employer who valued his own huge profits over the health of his employees.

    • RST says:

      “Pot is a neuro protective agent, its like putting little headgear on your brain cells,”

      ^^

      Pay attention children, this is your brain on drugs. Any questions?!

      • Diaz's cashed bowl says:

        Apparently you “don’t” know anything about marijuana other than what the feds tell you through their propaganda pieces.

    • RST says:

      Interestingly, Cookie Monster here is arguing (via Sesame Street science of course), that the pot DOES alter your physiology enough in some way (via a numbing agent IMO, in his opinion via a “helmet on your head”), that it constitutes an artificial manipulation of the fighters natural tools.

      Which leads us back where we started.

      I agree with Pelo Azul that you should he allowed to smoke the pot (or “wear the helmet”), while rolling or sparring in your own home/gym between two consenting adults.

      But on game day when the money is on the table, neither participant should be allowed to enter the ring wearing a helmet (partial or otherwise), or with PCP injected up their balls.

  12. Zach Arnold says:

    Chris C. wrote:

    Doubt he replies and admits he was wrong.

    If they didnt award it to someone else he would have a point but since they just took it from Pat and gave it to someone else it wasnt a cash grab to steal back money from fighters,.

    UFC ended up getting back some of their bonus money even with the transfer over to Caraway… and the athletic commissions pocket fine money over marijuana. Nevada loved pocketing $900k from JCC Jr.

    • Steve4192 says:

      “UFC ended up getting back some of their bonus money even with the transfer over to Caraway”

      Are you sure about that?

      Maybe they gave everyone else on the card an extra few grand, or maybe they gave Jim Miller another $65K. We don’t know what happened to Healy’s half of the FOTN money. Unless you are privy to some info the rest of us are not.

  13. RST says:

    They definitely need to start cracking down on TRT/steroid abusers (not just saying it). And I agree that zuffa’s rules and standards are all over the place whenever it suits them as usual. But I dont have a problem with punishing people who go into the cage high on pot any more then I do people who would get in a car and potentially run someone down high on pot. Getting in the cage and applying measured assault on someone should be held to the same expectations as operating heavy machinery.

    Would you want your dermatologist vaguely stoned while they operate on your face? MMA fighters operate on each other faces, bones and bodies.

    (Plus you know gosh darn well that there is a whole community of ambulance chasers, from new york, that would be more then willing to sue zuffa’s pants off if a pothead got in the cage and got themselves hurt!)

    I dont believe in random testing, if somebody wants to be a pothead on their own time then thats their own business IMO. But a fighter should be able to sober up and get off the junk at least 30 days out or he’s too selfish and irresponsible to be in there.

  14. 45 Huddle says:

    Nate Diaz called Bryan Caraway a “fag” on twitter for taking the SOTN bonus. Dana White is saying he will either be fined/suspended or cut for that comment.

    Calling somebody a “fag” is now the equivelant of calling a black person the N word. The UFC has no choice but to take action or get a really bad sh!t storm in the press.

    • edub says:

      Completely correct. Even if most rational people understand he wasn’t calling Caraway gay.

      • 45 Huddle says:

        The worst part is that Nate Diaz’s manager even tried to defend his use of the word “fag” by saying it really means “b!tch” in California.

        It is just more proof that that guys in the Gracie camp over there in California have bad people around them.

        Trying to defend the use of the word only makes it worse for their side.

        Unbelievable…

  15. […] The preposterous anti-marijuana, pro-testosterone regulatory standard in combat sports | […]

  16. […] and Trainor, the self-proclaimed Sports Doctor of the Year, will do whatever the hell UFC wants done. Rubber stamp. Gotta imagine nights like this are when at […]

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