Since the UFC has opted to take the USADA implementation of drug testing, many people have been caught. And despite the headlines of Brock Lesnar receiving an exemption due to him coming on too soon in regards to his fight, there has been a lot of positives in terms of fighters’ health and catching the cheaters. Well, it looks like one more person can be added to that list and that is none other that Team Alpha Male stalwart and three time Featherweight title contender Chad Mendes. Now, the reason for his failure could be something as simple as BJ Penn taking an IV out of competition, or it could be as bad as Anderson Silva’s recent USADA failure or Franks Mir’s. It is a potential anti-doping violation though and so far Chad Mendes has not made a statement which is never a good sign.
Mendes has had a storied of a career in the UFC as any fighter that has never ouched the gold. In fact, up until his last fight, he had never lost a fight that was not for the title until he was knocked out by Frankie Edgar. That was the same thing that had happened to his training partner Urijah Faber. Leading up to his second chance at the title, he had gone an amazing 11-1 in Zuffa owned promotions. Then he was beaten by Jose Aldo, and knocked out in the first round by Conor McGregor and the aforementioned Edgar. His only win in his last four fights was a TKO victor of Ricardo Lamas. Was this taking of banned supplements a reaction to his recent downslide? Or was it as simple as Lyoto Machida having taken something that only recently became banned?
USADA is not infallible though. They have reversed some decisions or even given less lengths due to mistakes. Yoel Romero, a top Middleweight contender, was caught with a banned substance in his system after his win over Jacare, but was able to prove it came from a supplement that was not listed not he label and was given a reduced sentence. The same thing happened to Welterweight Tim Means who was pulled from a big fight with Donald Cerrone due to a tainted supplement. Frank Mir is saying it was Kangaroo meat that fouled up his drug test but only time will tell. Still, it seems to be getting harder and harder for those that do cheat to not get caught which is a good thing for the sport in general.