Nate Diaz is a name synonymous with the term ‘BMF’ in the UFC. The Stockton Slapper competed for the inaugural BMF title against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244, but the event was not without controversy.
The UFC and Dana White recently won the court case filed by Mark Hunt for the incidents preceding UFC 200, with Brock Lesnar also among the alleged accused. At the center of the case was the usage of PEDs in combat sports.
Former MMA champ claims hush money offering to Nate Diaz
Josh Thomson, a former lightweight contender and former WEC champion, recently claimed that Nate Diaz turned down an alleged offer of hush money from the UFC. This was related to a reported failed drug test before his 2019 BMF championship fight against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244.
This test was linked to the banned substance ligandrol, which initially raised concerns about Diaz headlining the event at MSG. Later, it was clarified that the flagged result was due to a plant-based multivitamin used by Diaz. Thomson suggested that the UFC might have known about the positive test but was willing to let Diaz fight.
The incident raised ethical questions about how the UFC handles doping issues, particularly with high-profile fighters. Anderson Silva and Jon Jones are notable fighters who had run-ins with USADA over steroid use.
Diaz is known for his exceptional chin, and the only person to finish the younger Diaz brother via strikes is none other than Josh Thompson, who recently mentioned the aforementioned controversial events preceding UFC 244 on his podcast with John McCarthy.
Nate Diaz USADA scandal
The fate of the much-anticipated BMF title fight between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 became uncertain when Diaz had a failed drug test. The test indicated elevated levels of a banned substance. Notably, Diaz did not face suspension for UFC 244 at the moment.
Initially, the UFC did not officially address the status of the UFC 244 main event. However, the uncertainty surrounding Nate Diaz’s participation in UFC 244 was then lifted by USADA as they officially cleared him of any wrongdoing. Initially, concerns arose from a failed drug test that showed trace amounts of LGD-4033 in Diaz’s system.
investigations by USADA confirmed that the LGD-4033 came from two bottles of the same organic daily multivitamin used by Diaz, leading to a positive test result. The UFC responded with an official statement, emphasizing that Diaz did not violate any anti-doping policies and would not receive any sanctions.
Independent experts found that the extremely low levels of LGD-4033 in Diaz’s system are about 10,000 times lower than a therapeutic dose, with Dana White expressing confidence in Diaz’s innocence and assuring fans that the BMF title fight at UFC 244 would proceed as scheduled.
What do you think of the relationship between USADA and UFC? comment below!
