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The UFC has acknowledged the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) as its official and independent anti-doping agency, emphasizing its commitment to upholding fairness within the sport. The testing agency diligently conducts regular testing on samples from active fighters.
The official anti-doping agency for the UFC recently disclosed a list of fighters with the highest samples collected in 2023, as of May 25, 2023.
UFC flyweight contender Charles Johnson leads the pack with an impressive count of 15 samples. Following closely behind is newly crowned heavyweight champion Jon Jones with 13.
At the same time, Paulo Costa, Marlon Vera, Jessica Andrade, Magomed Ankalaev, Mounir Lazzez, Montana De La Rosa, Kamaru Usman, and Yan Xiaonan each accumulated significant sample counts ranging from 9 to 12.
The USADA selected 632 athletes for testing, resulting in a total of 1500 samples collected. This substantial amount of data offers valuable insights into the comprehensive nature of the UFC's anti-doping program.
Dana White outlines the UFC's yearly cost of USADA testing
UFC president Dana White has repeatedly emphasized the significance of the USADA despite acknowledging its substantial cost. In a recent interview on The Pat McAfee Show, White was questioned about the anti-doping agency's role in drug testing within the organization.
White highlighted the proactive measures taken by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in response to a concerning surge in positive test results following a previous event:
"We're santioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Everybody gets drug tests. And actually, because guys popped for drugs on the last one [Power Slap event], they pre-tested all these guys."
He added:
"I don't have USADA money yet, buddy. Slap's doing well. I pay $7 million a year for UFC."
Check out Dana White's entire remarks below (from 2:57 onwards):
This significant financial commitment underscores the UFC's dedication to maintaining a level playing field and preventing fighters from being unfairly disadvantaged by opponents who use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) or other prohibited substances. The promotion's substantial payment not only ensures fair competition but also signifies its commitment to penalizing those caught violating anti-doping regulations.
