The MMA world is buzzing, and not in a good way. Matt Brown, a UFC legend, is calling out the hypocrisy surrounding Conor McGregor's recent 18-month suspension for violating the UFC's anti-doping policy. It's a situation that has many fans and experts alike scratching their heads.
McGregor's suspension stems from three 'Whereabouts failures,' essentially missed drug tests, leading to a suspension. However, the story is far from simple. The former two-division champion was given a reduced suspension of six months from the standard two years, due to his cooperation with the investigation. This means he's cleared to compete again after March 20, 2026. But here's where it gets controversial...
This date is strategically important, as it doesn't prevent him from potentially returning at the planned UFC White House card in June. This timing has raised eyebrows, especially considering the significance of the White House event.
Brown's main concern? The UFC's immense power over every aspect of the sport. He suggests the promotion could be manipulating the anti-doping process, potentially allowing certain fighters to use performance-enhancing drugs without consequence.
"UFC controls the doping," Brown stated on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast. "Who’s to say they’re not letting certain people dope and not even saying anything? They could absolutely be doing it and just not saying anything."
The UFC previously partnered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for its anti-doping program. However, after the last contract expired, the two sides split. The UFC then introduced Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), its in-house agency. UFC officials claim CSAD operates independently, with director George Piro making all decisions.
But Brown remains skeptical, as CSAD is fully funded and operated by the UFC. He questions the fairness and integrity of the process, especially with high-profile events like the White House card on the horizon.
"Whoever’s fighting Conor, are they not going to be like what the fck?" Brown asked. "He knows what’s happening. You’re going to tell me if the UFC’s controlling the doping, and they’re doing a White House card next year, and then say Conor fails a test the week before, are they not going to be like ‘all right Conor, we can’t really say anything right now.’ What the fck are they going to do? Are they going to pull out Conor from the f*cking White House event?"
Brown has long been doubtful of the anti-doping program's effectiveness, believing it's easy for those with resources to cheat the system. He points out that McGregor never tested positive for any banned substances, and his suspension was solely due to missed tests.
"It’s just not right," Brown said. "We could get deep into the subject of drug testing. I think it’s for the most part it’s kind of garbage anyway. Not anybody but the vast majority that can afford to beat a drug test are beating the drug test. It’s a cat and mouse game and the mice have a huge head start. There’s things that you don’t know about, that I don’t know about that we’ve never heard of, there’s a lot of money in this industry of beating drug tests.
"When you’re talking about dealing with multi-million dollar athletes around the world, and you’re the guy that can help them beat a drug test and still get them on shit, you’re a f*cking multi-millionaire. There’s a lot of money in this shit. It’s just when you’re an athlete, can you afford this or not?"
Brown also suggests McGregor may not fight again in the UFC, citing his net worth and the financial incentives involved. He believes McGregor might be using the situation for publicity or simply has no intention of returning to the octagon.
"My conspiracy theory is he’s going to want them to plan for it, but he has no intention of fighting," Brown said.
And this is the part most people miss...
He believes McGregor will never fight in the UFC again, unless it's in boxing or a promotion under his own brand.
Brown ends with a stark question: "We’re not going to do f*cking jack shit about it. Can we do jack shit about it? That’s the question."
What do you think? Is Brown right about the UFC's control? Do you believe the anti-doping program is fair? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
