UFC 168 Drug Tests Return Two Inconclusive Results
Drugs in MMA, or TRT to be more specific, have dominated the media in the past week. The UFC and NSAC ban on the treatment has caused shake-ups in the middleweight title picture, and made Chael Sonnen feel ‘horrible’ (*sheds a tear). The ban will hopefully eliminate the ability to cheat in the sport, although a report on ‘UFC Tonight’ revealed some interesting news about UFC 168.
The December event was headlined by title rematches featuring Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman for the middleweight crown, and a women’s bw title scrap featuring Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. According to NSAC chairman Francisco Aguilar and via Fox Sports, two fighters returned ‘inconclusive’ drug tests after 168.
The parties involved are welterweight Siyar Bahadurzada and featherweight scrapper Dennis Siver. The German striker fought Manny Gamburian at the event and won a unanimous decision, while Bahadurzada dropped a decision to John Howard on the late 2013 card.
‘Inconclusive’ tests in the past have included dog urine from Thiago Silva, and alleged steroid dodging from WMMA star Carina Damm, but this case in particular may not be an attempt to cover PED’s. There are other reasons that a screen came return such a result, so the explanation may be much less sinister than you think.
First off, the samples my have been mishandled in transit or during the testing period. Unlikely as it may seem, but still a possibility nonetheless. Also along the same lines, is the possibility that the samples were somehow diluted or soiled, either by too much water in the fighter’s system or by way of accidental/purposeful means after the fact.
Whatever the case, ‘B samples’ are always taken for situations like these. The samples will be tested and the results will hopefully clear this case up. According to the report: “Neither of the fighters have previously tested positive for any drugs, and both declined comment on the situation to Helwani.”
In such a messy week of MMA news, I’d hope that this is just a clerical error, otherwise this nasty image of roided up cage fighters will never go away. The last thing we need is another pro MMA drugs bust. If it does turn out that either man has been juicing, it may mark the start of more stringent testing by the UFC, or at least it probably should.
