UFC Veterans Recount Challenging Encounters with Former Anti-Doping Partner USADA

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) stars Chris Weidman, Jorge Masvidal, and Dustin Poirier recently shared detailed accounts of their often-frustrating experiences with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the organization responsible for drug testing UFC athletes between 2015 and 2023. The fighters’ revelations, made during a recent episode of their "Deep Waters" podcast, shed light on the rigorous and sometimes intrusive nature of anti-doping protocols. The UFC has since concluded its partnership with USADA, moving to a new anti-doping program, making these recollections particularly pertinent as the sport transitions its testing framework.

During its tenure, USADA implemented a comprehensive system designed to ensure a clean sport, involving random, out-of-competition testing and a strict "whereabouts" program. This system required fighters to regularly update USADA on their precise locations, a mandate that frequently led to unexpected and often inconvenient encounters for the athletes.

Chris Weidman, a former UFC middleweight champion, recounted several instances that highlighted the demanding aspects of the USADA regime. One memorable incident occurred during a golf game. Weidman described how USADA agents arrived at the golf course, waiting for him at the turn. "I had to go take pee and blood, and my boys had to wait for me to do it, because once they see you, you can’t leave their eyesight," Weidman explained. He further elaborated on the strict timelines involved: "They have to see you within an hour of calling you. Once they get in contact with you, you have like an hour, maybe an hour and a half." This anecdote underscored the constant surveillance and immediate compliance expected from athletes, even during personal leisure time.

Weidman also detailed a "whereabouts" violation that resulted in a formal warning. While on a mountain getaway, he failed to update his location on the USADA application. Upon receiving a call that agents were at his registered home address, Weidman embarked on a frantic two-hour journey back. Despite his best efforts, traffic delayed his return, causing him to miss the two-hour testing window. "I didn’t fail it, but I got a warning because I went to my mountain house, which is two hours away, and I didn’t put it on my USADA app that I was there, and I got a call that they were at my house," Weidman recounted. "So now I had to fly home. I’m flying there, but I hit some traffic. The guy left and that was a warning because I didn’t get tested within the two-hour frame." This incident illustrates the unforgiving nature of the whereabouts system, where even genuine oversights could lead to infractions.

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Perhaps Weidman’s most dramatic recollection involved an incident prior to his highly anticipated bout against Yoel Romero at UFC 205 in November 2016. The event marked the UFC’s inaugural show in New York City, a significant milestone for the promotion and a personal triumph for Weidman, a Long Island native. Due to concerns surrounding Romero, Weidman stated he was subjected to an unusually high number of tests. Just three and a half weeks before the fight, Weidman sustained a knee injury requiring surgery. Driven by his determination to compete on the historic New York card, he opted to undergo surgery without informing the UFC. Following the procedure, while recovering from an intravenous (IV) drip and painkillers, USADA agents arrived at his home for a surprise test. Weidman described the ensuing panic: "I do the IV, I come back from the hospital, I’m on the painkillers and everything, and I have the band on my arm from the IV and you’re not allowed to get IVs, so all of a sudden doors are getting knocked on, ringing the doorbell. USADA." He was forced to quickly conceal evidence of the surgery and the IV, which is typically prohibited under anti-doping rules unless pre-approved for medical necessity. "It was a f***ing nightmare and I was so paranoid that I was going to get in trouble," he added, emphasizing the intense pressure and fear of a potential violation that could have derailed his career-defining moment.

Jorge Masvidal shared a more humorously frustrating experience, detailing a prolonged testing session after an intense training day. Post-workout, Masvidal had spent considerable time in a sauna, leading to significant dehydration. When USADA agents arrived 15-20 minutes after his session, he informed them that providing a sample would take time. "I lost eight or nine pounds in this training session, I’m not pissing for a while, so you guys are going to have to chill with me," Masvidal recalled telling the agents. This resulted in the testers accompanying him for hours, from his training facility to Miami, through meals and drinks, until he was finally able to produce a sample. "You can’t rush this, brother. Just when it happens. You’ve got to get me before practice, don’t ever come after practice," Masvidal advised, highlighting the physiological realities that sometimes clashed with testing schedules.

Dustin Poirier also described an unusual testing location, revealing that USADA agents once met him at a car dealership. "One time USADA called me when I was buying a truck," Poirier stated. "I was at the dealership sitting down signing papers. They call me, like, no way I can get to my house in an hour right now, so they met me at the dealership. Urine and blood, at the dealership." This anecdote underscored the lack of privacy inherent in the random testing process, with athletes potentially subjected to tests in highly public or inconvenient settings.

Both Poirier and Masvidal expressed a shared sentiment of extreme frustration over early morning tests, particularly on weekends or holidays. Poirier specifically mentioned a 6 a.m. visit on Super Bowl Sunday, stating, "I was mad." Masvidal echoed this, noting, "6 a.m. on a Sunday, they’ve done that to me, like, twice. I wanted to kill them." These comments, while hyperbolic, convey the significant impact these unannounced visits had on the fighters’ personal lives and sense of autonomy.

While acknowledging the necessity of anti-doping measures to ensure fair competition, these accounts from veteran fighters illustrate the considerable operational challenges and personal inconveniences that athletes faced under the USADA testing program. As the UFC moves forward with its new anti-doping partner, the experiences of these athletes provide valuable insight into the delicate balance between stringent anti-doping enforcement and the practical realities of a professional fighter’s life.

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