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Pat Healy smokes $135,000 joint! Contest with Miller now a N/C.

3K views 42 replies 28 participants last post by  Stun Gun 
#1 ·
Pat Healy, coming off the biggest win of his career against Jim Miller at UFC 159, made what is likely the most costly choice of his life when he said he smoked marijuana socially at some point before the fight.

Healy, in his UFC debut, finished Miller with a choke at 4:02 of the third round in a fight that was the highlight of UFC's most recent event on April 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Healy then tested positive for marijuana in the New Jersey Athletic Control Board's post-fight drug screening.

Healy (31-16, 1 no contest) confirmed the test result in a statement made Tuesday night. Sources close to Healy said he was suspended for 90 days. In addition, his victory was overturned and the match result is now ruled a no-contest.

Healy earned an announced $152,500, by far the biggest payday of his career, for facing Miller in the first fight on that night's pay-per-view show headlined by Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen.

But $135,000 of that figure was bonus money for Healy, who was working on his former Strikeforce contract that called for a $17,500 fight guarantee. $130,000 was for winning both the best fight and best submission bonuses. Another $5,000 was his win bonus.

All of that bonus money will have to be forfeited, since he no longer won the fight and based on UFC policy.

The company's policy is performance bonuses are not paid until drug test results come back, and that any failure results in the forfeiture of the bonus. Dana White confirmed as much Tuesday night.

UFC officials said they will release a statement on the failure late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Here is Healy's official statement below:

"I would like to start off by apologizing to the UFC, Jim Miller, the MMA community, its fans, my family, teammates and coaches for my positive testing for marijuana after my UFC 159 fight with Jim Miller. I was fully aware of the UFC and State Commissions drug policies and made poor life choices. I stand behind the UFC and State Commission's disciplinary actions. I support efforts to make MMA and sports a clean, safe and fair place to compete.


"First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge and take responsibility for my mistake. I made a very poor choice to socially use marijuana and now I must face the consequences of that choice. I can assure you that I will do everything the UFC and State Commission asks of me and beyond. I will also make a conscious effort to be a better role model within the MMA community."
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/5/14/4332230/healy-has-costly-positive-test-for-marijuana

Wow what a goof move!
 
#4 ·
Exactly, he likely will never see that money again, and with a suspension and dealing with base pay and sponsors he probably will have mad 30k to last at least a few months for his suspension and then a few more for his next fight to be arranged
 
#6 ·
This arguement is easily solved in 2 questions

1. Does the thought on Ganja versus MMA PED rule have to be reviewed or revised?

Yes

2. If it is a known rule right now (albeit almost as stupid as the no 12 to 3 elbow rule) does that mean people can ignore it?

No

I would suggest that fighting gifts aside Pat Healy made a idiotic choice in using a. Drug he knows people have been suspended for using in the past. He also knew he had a good chance of being tested for it. He also freely admits that it was for social reasons and nothing more.

If it was clear in his contract, then there is no one to blame but himself.
 
#10 ·
I will never understand people who just can't seem to get out of their own way. I know people like this IRL. Anytime something starts going their way... they freak out and do something stupid.

You're just left standing there scratching your head, wondering how anyone could be so self destructive.

I think the rule is a bit much... but they are the rules.
 
#12 ·
Pat Healy, Dave Herman and Nick Diaz can't smoke weed, but Fallon Fox can fight women. Interesting.

Still though, regardless the opinion of marijuana, it's still illegal. I'll never understand why some people just don't have some self control. It's just weed for crying out loud. I like to drink whiskey a lot but if my children are around or if it's going to affect something important in my life, you bet your ass I'll put the bottle down.
 
#14 ·
To get the regular questions out of the way....no marijuana is not a PED....yes it is his fault since he signed up and knew the rules.

But to get at the "can't get out of his own way" comment...while I agree and have seen those people a lot, as for Pat, he is one of a great % of fighters who smoke in their offseason. I bet people would be shocked at the amount of fighters who toke up after a fight. Perhaps not daily smoke right up until you NEED to detox to pass the test. But I bet a lot of elite fighters do smoke pot. Many just have better restraint and don't smoke leading up to a fight. Probably many times after fights or in their week off from the gym. But where there is that much at stake (your biggest payday by a multiple of 10) you have to restrain yourself from relying on a close detox time.

These guys are fighters who live in the gym. They have minimal fat. They can go a month with smoking and quit 10 days before the test. Why not just give it that extra week just to be sure?
 
#42 ·
He never actually received the cash. Bonus checks are held until the drug tests come back clean, then the UFC send them out, so Pat Healy never actually got that check.

Did Chael keep his FOTN bonus for the Silva fight btw? I think Healy should have lost his win bonus, and part of his standard base pay, but kept his bonuses. He still put on an awesome fight, and submitted Joe Lauzon. I hope he doesn't get penalised too bad by the UFC!
 
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