Last month, following a slew of surprising high-profile positive drug tests, the UFC announced a new plan to implement comprehensive out-of-competition random performance enhancing drug (PED) testing. Expected to take effect in July 2015,
The new protocol will include the entire roster of fighters (approx. 585 fighters). The UFC also added that they would advocate for longer suspensions and harsher punishments for fighters who test positive for any banned substance.
However, while the news was met with general approval from fans and pundits alike, there are some who question the effectiveness of the new policy, including UFC heavyweight Roy Nelson.
"It's kind of one of those things that, I've been there, done that," Nelson told MMAFighting.com. "I've been doing the random drug tests and out-of-competition kind of drug tests for over three years, so it's not anything new. Like, I did VADA, which is Voluntary Anti-Doping. I did that two or three years ago, so it's like, it's not new. It's not new technology. The program has been around, available, for the longest time. So, all of a sudden moving that way? It is what it is."
Nelson's main concern is the lack of consistency with the UFC and how they chose to reprimand the fighters who test positive. While he is happy with the direction the promotion is taking, he would rather wait patiently and see how it impacts the roster over the coming year.
"It's just one of those things that, I'm happy, but is it really going to make a difference?" Nelson asked. "Because with some of the policies, it's not really set in stone. Like, you can do cocaine one day and that's cool because it's not in-competition... but you're getting ready for a fight, so it is (in-competition)? It's just one of those things. You get popped for a steroid beforehand, before the fight actually starts, but we're still going to let the fight go on?
"So it really doesn't really matter -- if you catch me, we're still going to have a fight? So what's even the sense of having a policy? A policy is just like, 'hey, I can still fight and just be suspended for a year?' If I only fight once a year anyways, who cares?
Transcription taken from MMAFighting.com.