OT- Nick Diaz fails drug test in UFC

Submitted by manchild56 on

For those of us who follow the UFC or MMA in general. We now know why maybe Diaz had acted like a sore loser after his loss to Carlos Condit for the interim championship. Maybe he decided to retire after the fight knowing he had failed his second drug test for THC which carries a year suspension and upto a fine of $80,000 of his $200,000 purse he earned in defeat. New at posting so sorry for not having any clue how to post the article from yahoo sports.

PurpleStuff

February 9th, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^

A few bong hits isn't going to help you survive a choke-hold or get punched in the face without it hurting.  It also isn't like he was high in the ring, so I don't see any benefit at all.  Taking an Advil three days before the fight doesn't diminish a post-beating headache.

I did notice that it is a Nevada Athletic Commission rule, not anything to do with UFC.  Wonder if this will impact how often they stage fights in Vegas going forward.

TheLastHarbaugh

February 10th, 2012 at 12:34 AM ^

The NSAC and, IIRC, all ACs go by WADA standards, and marajuana is banned. So that's that.

"It also isn't like he was high in the ring, so I don't see any benefit at all."

Uhhh.......no comment....

Regardless, Diaz should know better as he had a victory over Gomi ruled a NC for the same reason.

The UFC should just be happy that Condit won.

TheLastHarbaugh

February 10th, 2012 at 12:43 AM ^

Diaz reportedly smokes marajuana every day (which, anyone who knows anything about Nick Diaz knows that it's copious amounts), per the UFC "Primetime" producer who followed him around every day to shoot the special .

http://bjpenn.com/mmanews/2012/02/09/ufc-primetime-producer-says-all-nick-diaz-does-is-train-and-smoke-weed-should-the-ufc-be-held-liable-13728.html

There is now some controversy as to whether the UFC knew he was doing this pre-fight (which obviously they did), and chose to do nothing about it.

Tater

February 10th, 2012 at 1:08 AM ^

On one side, the root of the word "assassin" is the word "hashish."

On the other side, it turns most people into Cheech and Chong.  

The rule is stupid, but it's even more stupid to violate it when there is that much money at stake.  If it was me, I would have asked myself one question: "Are a few hits off of this bong worth paying $80,000 for?"

 

Wolverman

February 10th, 2012 at 5:06 PM ^

  It's been a long time since I bought a bag of weed but if 80k for a bag of weed is'nt the most ever paid I'm in the wrong profession. An ounce is about what the biggest measurement I'd consider a bag of weed but 80k is a lot for a pound , heck 80k is alot for 10 pounds of the kushiest kush.

 

 Lol kind of funny you can look up the going rate on google

manchild56

February 9th, 2012 at 9:43 PM ^

he really like weed the first time he failed I guess he aloud to be at a 50 { now I dont know what the means in terms of how much that is} but he was at 175 almost  4 times over the Nevada legal limit. I mean who wants to be all high going into the biggest fight of his career, plus he talked so much about how easy the fight would be and already booking his fight with GSP. Guess weed makes you a little slow.

RedondoWolverine

February 9th, 2012 at 11:45 PM ^

He wanted to get a re-match before GSP comes back because he knows that a title bout between GSP and Condit will be the biggest disaster ever. GSP lying on the ground and Condit running away...what a fight. 

 

Regardless of personal politics on the subject of marijuana's legal status, For Diaz to have decided it was okay to use a banned substance close enough to such a big fight for it to register on a test is absolutely inexcusable. 

 

The conspiracu theorist in me thinks that it had something to do with him announcing his 

retirement" after the fight. As if he knew he was dirty and thought that somehow, announcing a retirement would give pause to the testers.

invisiblespoon

February 10th, 2012 at 9:05 AM ^

I was wondering... If guys can get scripts for medical marijuana are they invincible against the drug testing for THC, or is THC considered a banned performance enhancing substance?  I'm guessing it's banned just because lots of guys would probably have an MJ card if it absolved them.

TheLastHarbaugh

February 10th, 2012 at 12:07 PM ^

I don't know about that.

There are some guys who undergo TRT (testosterone replacement therapy), which would be illegal in a lot of other sports (I believe), but so long as they get their levels down within the acceptable perameters by the fight, it's fine.

They could have the same deal with medical marijuana (I have no idea), but the only issue is that it's not legal everywhere. Regardless, if you get it out of your body prior to the fight you don't have to worry about it anyway.

I guess the thinking would be if you're having such issues with pain then you shouldn't be fighting period. Nick has some social anxiety disorder akin to Ricky Williams, so it might be something related to mental health, but yeah, I've never heard of such an exemption.

clarkiefromcanada

February 10th, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^

Fact. Diaz is a long term known smoker.

Fact. Diaz is somewhat unpredictible when it comes to managing his issues with drug tests (see former positive screen).

Fact. Diaz and GSP fight = giant pile of money for all involved; probably worth protecting for the UFC.

Fact. Whether or not we enter into a debate about PED, pain inhibition, decriminalization or morality of marijuana use the NSAC has a clear legislated mandate which *currently* includes marijuana use. Is it somewhat backward? Quite possibly given the widespread use of medicinal marijuana in our society and generalized decriminalization in many jurisdicitons. At issue is that every other fighter that night had to meet the NSAC criteria and Diaz did not. It's regrettable and it's his responsibility and that of his team.

At some level the UFC should have looked at the situation and said "we need to put someone on this issue" to protect their investment regardless of Diaz' outcomes and have that discussion with Diaz and his team.

I wouldn't be surprised if they cut him because really, how does the organization trust him not to screw up a multi million dollar fight down the road?