UFC to “save the sport” with PED screening according to Dana White

UFC fighters are screened for PEDs by the organization when the sign, and at various points by the State, Provincial, and Tribal regulatory bodies that govern the sport. When an event is held overseas where regulation lags, the UFC out of necessity itself acts as a regulator screening for PEDs, and issuing suspensions.

Now UFC President Dana White has announced in an interview Lance Pugmire of the LA Times that screening for PEDs is going to be expanded in order to ‘save the sport.

Lance Pugmire: (Junior dos Santos v Frank Mir) came together only because Alistair Overeem tested positive for testosterone. How devastating was that to your sport?

Dana White: “The steroid, PED thing affects the whole sport. The key is to make sure these guys never get on it, because once they do, they change. The problem with Overeem is that I want to sit in a room with him man to man and believe him. He told me before he ever fought for us, ‘Don’t worry, I’m the most tested athlete in sports.’ But I think we have about 42 fights a year . . . you have a guy or two popping [positive tests] here and there, that’s a pretty good ratio.”

LP: Do you want to increase testing?

Dana White: “Yes. We’re going to do our own testing, order these guys into [a lab]; we’re sorting it out now. You have to do this to save the sport. You can’t have these guys fighting on this stuff.”

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Owner/Editor of SevereMMA.com. Writer, Podcaster, Producer of 'Notorious: Conor McGregor' film, 'Conor McGregor: Notorious' TV series, 'Ten Thousand Hours', 'The Fighting Irish' and more documentary films.

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