MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 10.0

[Avs_19]

We really lost out on Yair vs. Zabit again because of this. At least it's only six months and retroactive to September so he's able to return in March.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Yair suspended 6 months by USADA for ghosting 3 tests and not providing his whereabouts over 12 months.

 

[pistolpete11]

We really lost out on Yair vs. Zabit again because of this. At least it's only six months and retroactive to September so he's able to return in March.

I have mixed feelings on this.

On one hand, Luke Thomas has kind of convinced me on the façade that is USADA. "Theater for low information fans" as he puts it. I have no doubts fighters are still cheating and just know how to get around the testing. All that does is reward the rich fighters who can afford the latest, greatest drugs. I don't think it should be a free for all, but I think USADA has overstepped. Being able to drop in on any fighter, at any time without any regards to privacy has always rubbed me the wrong way.

On the other, 3 times in a year? Come on, man. First time, OK, maybe you just f***ed up or there was a misunderstanding. Second time, get your shit together, man, you're facing a 6 months suspension. Third time, well shit, you probably are cheating then.

 

[CDJ]

USADA is dumb but getting yourself suspended for that is dumber


Knew it had to be USADA with the way Dana talked about it


I really don’t like Yair, which is wild because he’s nothing short of incredible to watch

 

[m9]

I have mixed feelings on this.

On one hand, Luke Thomas has kind of convinced me on the façade that is USADA. "Theater for low information fans" as he puts it. I have no doubts fighters are still cheating and just know how to get around the testing. All that does is reward the rich fighters who can afford the latest, greatest drugs. I don't think it should be a free for all, but I think USADA has overstepped. Being able to drop in on any fighter, at any time without any regards to privacy has always rubbed me the wrong way.

On the other, 3 times in a year? Come on, man. First time, OK, maybe you just f***ed up or there was a misunderstanding. Second time, get your shit together, man, you're facing a 6 months suspension. Third time, well shit, you probably are cheating then.

This has been my thought for awhile as well. I'm fine with having some basic form of drug testing to keep up appearances, but chasing fighters around the world during a pandemic is a waste of time. Do some random tests before the fight and then test some of the winners right after and then get on with things.

Rodriguez hasn't even fought in 2020. I wish I could say USADA has better things to do but we know that's not true.

 

[chicagoskycam]

This has been my thought for awhile as well. I'm fine with having some basic form of drug testing to keep up appearances, but chasing fighters around the world during a pandemic is a waste of time. Do some random tests before the fight and then test some of the winners right after and then get on with things.

Rodriguez hasn't even fought in. I wish I could say USADA has better things to do but we know that's not true.

I think the problem with this is if they know the exact timing they can get around it.

 

[m9]

I think the problem with this is if they know the exact timing they can get around it.

Ultimately I don't really care, but I know some people do so fair enough. More than anything they just need to limit the times tested overall, pump up the test thresholds so only clear abusers get tagged, and of course stop testing for things like marijuana, cocaine, and other things that aren't "performance enhancing". Like it's 2020 and Niko Price got suspended this week and a fight overturned for marijuana? Who really gives a f***? A fighter could smoke pot 365 days a year and I wouldn't care, and neither should USADA.

I just don't know who they are trying to appease at this point.

 

[chicagoskycam]

Ultimately I don't really care, but I know some people do so fair enough. More than anything they just need to limit the times tested overall, pump up the test thresholds so only clear abusers get tagged, and of course stop testing for things like marijuana, cocaine, and other things that aren't "performance enhancing". Like it's 2020 and Niko Price got suspended this week and a fight overturned for marijuana? Who really gives a f***? A fighter could smoke pot 365 days a year and I wouldn't care, and neither should USADA.

I just don't know who they are trying to appease at this point.

Pot needs to be removed from testing in all sports, no doubt. It's a safer alternative to prescribed painkillers. When you're talking about actual PED's, there are so many ways to get around it if you know when the test is going to occur.

 

[m9]

Pot needs to be removed from testing in all sports, no doubt. It's a safer alternative to prescribed painkillers. When you're talking about actual PED's, there are so many ways to get around it if you know when the test is going to occur.

I know having the appearance of a clean sport is very important to some people and I can respect that.

I just think there is a ton of common sense missing from NSAC/USADA/UFC. They easily have the ability to set proper thresholds to make sure guys aren't high for the actual fight or for PEDs tell who is definitely a cheater vs someone who was given a tainted supplement or something. Until they figure things out better it's important that the media rips into these organizations for stealing the fighter's money and in some cases ruining their career.

 

[CDJ]

If you wanted to use steroids you could just no-show the tests and only get a 6 month suspension. Still pretty easy to cheat, especially when you have money

 

[chicagoskycam]

I know having the appearance of a clean sport is very important to some people and I can respect that.

I just think there is a ton of common sense missing from NSAC/USADA/UFC. They easily have the ability to set proper thresholds to make sure guys aren't high for the actual fight or for PEDs tell who is definitely a cheater vs someone who was given a tainted supplement or something. Until they figure things out better it's important that the media rips into these organizations for stealing the fighter's money and in some cases ruining their career.

Yeah but these guys have it down to a science to avoid getting caught and I agree, the more money you have the easier it's going to be to abuse the system and get away with it. Random tests are pretty much all they have because these guys know how to get clean for the fight tests. The testing is often way behind the science of new drugs so you have the option of not testing at all but I'm not sure all the commissions will support that. The up and comers have the biggest challenge with all this as they don't have the money to evade detection.

They do need to simplify the list of banned substances. I guess Connor when he semi-retired was still going through the testing protocol just in case, they flew out and tested him on some yacht. lol.

 

[pistolpete11]

I have mixed feelings on Niko, too, though I'm more on Niko's side than Yair's.

The fact they are still testing for THC is beyond absurd. I've never heard one good argument why it should be a banned substance. Not one.

....but it is. You can disagree and try to get it changed all you want, but it's the rule. And I thought they raised the threshold and changed the times they tested for it a few years ago to the point where you essentially had to be stoned during the fight to fail? I mean, you know the rules. You know the consequences. If you roll the dice and fail a test that's hard to fail, it's hard to have too much sympathy.

But yeah, I'm 1000% on board with not even testing for it. It's stupid.

 

[CDJ]

I would like to see him go for a milly in PFL

gonna be fun to watch him flatline lesser competition

I bet the ufc doesn’t view him as all that marketable and didn’t want him beating up and comers...kind of like Jon Fitch in a way. Probably wanted him to take a pay cut after that last performance too. Romero will be able to make a lot more in PFL or Bellator anyway. Could probably be a 2 division champ in bellator


Edit: they also released a dude from DWCS who was given a contract in August and hasn’t fought. Strange.

Pantoja-Kape is off

 

[m9]

It sounds like the UFC is going to use the break to do some mass roster trimming so it will be interesting to see what shakes out. Right now they are over 650 fighters and are going to get under 600 by early next year.

As for Romero, yeah that's a tough one. He still is a Fight Night main event or co-main guy but I'm sure he had a pretty hefty salary.

 

[member 51464]

Romero was a fun one. For good reasons (incredible knockouts) or bad (bizarre game plans or unexpected inactivity where your own desire for tension is all that made it interesting), just about every fight he has been in has been interesting.

He will be missed by me.

 

[pistolpete11]

Yeah, I think it's probably a combination of his salary and that he's a 43 year old who would probably still beat most of the division who have longer careers ahead of them. Still strange as I think most fans get excited for his fights and he usually delivers.

 

[CDJ]

Rogan said a Ufc doctor told Dana he’s the most unique physical specimen he’s seen in all of his years doing medicine. Tendons are like 3x thicker than an average person

Uncle chael talks about Yoel
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r7rtnwi9nHA

 

[CDJ]

Weird but good one. Kenney is legit. UFC is trying to build another contender. Cruz must see something he can take advantage of

 

[BGDDYKWL]

I don't like parting ways with Romero. The UFC is supposed to be home to the very best. Romero is still right at the top of that list. We've really never seen him decisively beaten. I'd argue he beat Izzy, I completely understand the argument that he beat Costa, the Whittaker fights were razor close. Unless he was making Conor money or there's more to the story, this one's unfortunate. I would've liked to see them run him and Adesanya back.

Izzy and Jan makes little sense to me, stalls two divisions, and potentially destroys 205 until Jones presumably returns.

 

[bov]

I know Dana was pissed with Romero after the Izzy fight but the guy is also up there in age and has millions from that PED lawsuit. Wouldn't surpise me if this was simply a mutual parting of ways, he had his fair share of title opportunties after all.

Also, fantastic matchmaking on Cruz vs Kenney. Love that fight and I'm glad Cruz took it instead of retiring/holding out for a bigger name.

 

[Chaels Arms]

 

[m9]

I know Dana was pissed with Romero after the Izzy fight but the guy is also up there in age and has millions from that PED lawsuit. Wouldn't surpise me if this was simply a mutual parting of ways, he had his fair share of title opportunties after all.

Also, fantastic matchmaking on Cruz vs Kenney. Love that fight and I'm glad Cruz took it instead of retiring/holding out for a bigger name.

Are you sure he has millions from that lawsuit? Based on what went down it was unlikely he got much at all.

 

[bov]

Are you sure he has millions from that lawsuit? Based on what went down it was unlikely he got much at all.

I'll admit I didn't dig deep into it but I thought the initial settlement was something like 27 mil? I'd have to imagine he got a chunk of that, but I could be totally wrong...

 

[member 51464]

I'll admit I didn't dig deep into it but I thought the initial settlement was something like 27 mil? I'd have to imagine he got a chunk of that, but I could be totally wrong...

I don't care enough to actually look up the details, but my recollection is that he was given a substantial settlement in the ruling, but it was so high the company went bankrupt and he will get pennies on the dollar.

 

[Avs_19]

I'll admit I didn't dig deep into it but I thought the initial settlement was something like 27 mil? I'd have to imagine he got a chunk of that, but I could be totally wrong...

That's the amount the court awarded him but the company probably just went bankrupt. This was one of the articles written at the time:

Why UFC's Yoel Romero May Never See A Dime Of His $27 Million Financial Award From His Lawsuit