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UFC's Marc Ratner says bonuses won't be paid out until return of drug tests

Quote:

by Steven Marrocco on Jan 16, 2013 at 8:30 pm ET
The UFC still is considering more changes to its existing policies regarding drug testing, but in advance of UFC on FX 7, the promotion has instituted two new rules to act as deterrents.

All fighters who compete on international events will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Additionally, the promotion won't pay out fight-night bonuses until drug testing results are available, Ratner said.

Currently, the UFC offers cash incentives for "Knockout of the Night," "Submission of the Night" and "Fight of the Night." Typically, they are handed out after the event and announced by UFC President Dana White.

The changes will be in place this weekend when UFC on FX 7 goes down at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The event's main-card airs on FX following prelims on FUEL TV and Facebook.

In locales without an athletic commission, the UFC takes the role under the direction of Ratner, who is the former executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This time around, a new Brazilian commission appointed by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) will oversee the event, Ratner said.

Drug testing for the event will be held by an independent facility hired by the UFC, as with earlier international events.

Just this past week, two fighters, Rousimar Palhares and Joey Beltran, were flagged by the promotion for failing post-fight drug tests at UFC on FX 6, which took place in December in Australia. Both will be forced to sit out nine months.

UFC fighters are required to pass a drug test prior to signing with the promotion and are forbidden by contract from using banned substances.

Out-of-competition testing, which is widely considered the most effective way to keep the sport clean, has yet to be employed.

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/0...-of-drug-tests

This change should have been there from the start.

My only question is what happens if the fight was going to be fight of the night and then one of the fighters tests positive. Do they give the fight of the night to another fight or just the fighter that was clean. I don't think the clean fighter should be penalized because the guy he fought got popped.

Great idea. This should help cut down on the cheaters.

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Originally Posted by onip69 (Post 1693881)

Great idea. This should help cut down on the cheaters.

Not really, they can still cycle. The only thing that's gonna stop them is random testing.

Think it's a good move.

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Originally Posted by TheLyotoLegion (Post 1693889)

Not really, they can still cycle. The only thing that's gonna stop them is random testing.

Sure they can still cycle and probably will but it's a step in the right direction. Most steps seem to be baby steps but a least they're doing something. Do I believe that every fighter who tests clean after a fight is clean,no. Will there be some fighters who get caught by this test,yes.

So what if someone knows they are gonna get caught and as oppose to going all out they make a snooze fest just to get a decision. Well I hope it goes the way it should.

This seems appropriate, but I doubt it really changes anything. If your willing to risk your career using a banned substance, then losing a fight bonus probably isn't going to change your mind.

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Originally Posted by Term (Post 1694962)

This seems appropriate, but I doubt it really changes anything. If your willing to risk your career using a banned substance, then losing a fight bonus probably isn't going to change your mind.

Maybe they should anounce who would get the *OFN bonus after the fights, but only pay out, if the test come back clean. So a *OTN-fighter on PED will directly see and feel that he just missed $70k, because he couldn't resist the temptation. That way psychologically it's not like "he doesn't get money", but "he has to pay the money", because the days prior to the test results he theoretically already "had" the money.

And I hope, more fighters publicly challenge their opponents to VADA testing.