Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has come a long way since the dark ages of top organisations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pride FC, in the 1990s.
Today, top organisations such as the UFC, WSOF and others employ strict drug testing protocols, with the UFC going as far as employing the services of USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) in a bid to clean up the sport; getting rid of drug-abusing MMA competitors.
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Nevertheless, no amount of drug testing seems to stop a select group of routine drug-test flunkers. Similarly, it’s not uncommon for fighters to enter the MMA ring/cage whilst under the influence of a recreational drug or performance-enhancing mental/physical stimulants.
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Today we take a brief look at a few such MMA stars that competed inside the cage, while intoxicated:
#5 Jessica Eye
Jessica ‘Evil’ Eye (11-6) is presently on a terrible losing streak inside the Octagon, however, that wasn’t the case when she first debuted in the UFC.
The Ohio native brought a 10-1 record into the Octagon, with her first fight in the UFC being against MMA veteran Sarah Kauffman. Now although the matchup itself saw the judges award Eye a split-decision win in what was ultimately a lacklustre fight, what happened after was more intriguing.
A few days after the fight, news broke out that ‘Evil’ had failed a drug test for her aforementioned UFC 166 bout in 2013, with it later being revealed that the drug found in her system was cannabinoids (marijuana metabolites).
The story that Eye provided was one for the ages.
Also read: 5 Times MMA coaches were to blame for a fighter's downfall
Her failed drug test resulted in her making her personal differences with her father public, in a no-holds-barred series of accounts over the following couple of weeks. She stated that her father, with whom she and her brothers always had a strained relationship; was with her at a friend-and-family get-together before her fight against Kaufman.
He and his friends had been drinking and after a while started smoking pot as well and with Eye sitting right beside them; she said that this was how the pot got into her system. The result- a failed drug test for marijuana and an unnecessary media circus that followed.
Nevertheless, one cannot deny the fact that Eye fought under the influence of the Mary Jane in her UFC debut. One to remember indeed! Up next, fighters submitting animal urine, stimulants, and much more.
#4 Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva is a former top-UFC contender who currently holds the Absolute Championship Berkut Light-heavyweight (LHW) title.
Apart from being a convicted wife-beater, he’s best known for being knocked senseless by former UFC LHW champ Lyoto Machida and for submitting samples of animal urine for his fight night drug tests before his UFC 125 bout against Brandon Vera in 2011.
Silva beat Vera by Unanimous Decision, however, the result would later be overturned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to a No-Contest. Silva was slapped with forfeiture of 25% of his fight purse as well as a fine of $20,000 out of his $55,000 win bonus.
Thiago later revealed that his doctors had administered him injections containing banned substances owing to him re-injuring his back 45 days before the fight against Vera. In other words, Thiago Silva fought Vera whilst functioning on a high dosage of banned anti-inflammatory substances.
Not a good look when you’re fighting for the world’s premier MMA promotion.
Up next, we take a look at fighters abusing innocent drugs as well as dangerous stimulants stepping into the cage on fight night.
#3 Fernando Gonzalez
A veteran of promotions such as the WEC, Strikeforce and King of the Cage; current Bellator Welterweight Fernando ‘The Menifee Maniac’ Gonzalez is also a former WBC National Muay Thai champion.
He is also a habitual dope test failure, testing positive for marijuana on not one but two occasions.
He beat UFC veteran Karo Parisyan at Bellator 127 in October of 2014 by TKO and Curtis Millender by submission (guillotine choke) at Bellator 137 in May of 2015. The common link between the two aforementioned fights was Gonzalez’s drug test failure for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the former and marijuana metabolites in the latter.
Both the aforementioned substances are found in... you guessed it right! Marijuana aka Cannabis aka the Diaz bros’ favourite plant!
With both fights taking place in the State of California, the first failure resulted in a minor 30-day suspension and a $315 fine and the 2nd fight saw him get away unscathed. MMA fighters sure do love their drugs!
Up next, we check out the cream-of-the-crop, people using drugs to charge themselves and others that use it to relax and let loose. Read on...
#2 Riki Fukuda
Former DEEP and Road FC Middleweight champion, Japanese fighter Riki Fukuda has had a decent career, so to speak. After going 2-2 inside the Octagon since his UFC debut in 2011, he faced Brad Tavares at UFC on Fuel TV: Silva vs Stann, in March of 2013.
Fighting on his home turf in Japan, Fukuda lost by Unanimous Decision to Tavares, however, it was later revealed that the Japanese Middleweight had failed a drug test in his post-fight drug screening for banned substances.
After a brief investigation period, it was revealed that said substances were ‘Stimulants’ that entered his system owing to his pre-fight consumption of a few ahem...’Over-the-counter’ cold medicines.
Regardless of his excuses, the fact remains that Fukuda endangered not only Tavares but also himself by stepping inside the Octagon to fight someone whilst knowingly having ingested banned stimulants.
Now for those of you who’re not really familiar with said ‘Stimulants’’ effects in a fight, in simple words, such stimulants play a role in serving as a ‘boost’ to the fighter’s body.
Picture a race-car and another similar car, except that the first car is a non-modified stock version and the second car, a Supercharged modified version with a Turbo Booster. Now go figure which one holds an advantage over the other! Which brings us to...
#1 Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz is a former Strikeforce and WEC Welterweight champion, steroid-free ninja and one of the most controversial fighters in our sport.
An extremely vocal campaigner for the use and worldwide legalisation of marijuana, Nick Diaz has appeared in several pro-cannabis adverts in popular culture including his recent partnership with a marijuana rolling paper brand - Futurola.
Besides this, he and his brother Nate have launched their own ‘Diaz Bros Rolling Papers’.
Despite being widely regarded as one of the cleanest fighters on the planet as far as steroid usage is concerned, on the cannabis front, Nick has not been as disciplined. He has failed three drug tests over the course of his long and storied career.
Nick fought Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 in 2004, a back-and-forth matchup wherein he ended up submitting his opponent via Gogoplata. He failed the pre-fight drug test for the Gomi fight for marijuana metabolites. The next failure came at UFC 143 in 2012 against Carlos Condit.
Diaz lost the fight that was for the Interim-UFC Welterweight title as well as flunked the post-fight drug test, once again testing positive for marijuana. The third strike would come at UFC 183 in January of 2015, wherein Silva failed his tests for banned steroids and Diaz failed his test once again for the Mary Jane.
After his 3rd strike, the NSAC initially handed Diaz a 5-year suspension and a $165,000 fine; that was later reduced to 18 months and $100,000. After Diaz’s antics in the Silva fight, in particular, it isn’t all that surprising that the Stockton bad boy was fighting ‘High’, so to speak.
Regardless of whether these fighters ingested the substances knowingly or unknowingly, regardless of whether they took it for recreational purposes or in order to gain an unfair advantage over their opponents; they acted in an irresponsible manner.
The aforementioned MMA fighters put themselves as well as their opponents at risk by entering the cage intoxicated. If there’s one sport in the world where you absolutely do not want to compete intoxicated, it is our beloved sport of MMA.
Keep up with our combat tradition and write to me about fighters that you feel could’ve made the list.
Keep training and remember - MMA is a dangerous sport and if you wish to enter the cage whilst under influence, do so at your own risk.
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