The highly anticipated return of UFC star, Conor McGregor, has not been without its share of controversies. Recently, the USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart announced the termination of their partnership with the $12.1 billion-valued UFC. In the statement, he hinted at McGregor’s return and associated obligations to USADA as the cause. In response to this, a UFC announcer took to Twitter, accusing the anti-doping agency of being ‘salty’.
USADA and the UFC have maintained a longstanding collaboration since 2015. Throughout their years of collaboration, there have been a few hiccups along the way. However, not many could have foreseen this situation coming.
While a split will preserve the integrity of the UFC’s anti-doping system, it appears to eliminate the middleman. Since the termination of the deal does not appear to be quite amicable, many have shared their opinions, including a UFC announcer.
UFC announcer accused USADA of being ‘salty’ after split
Over the years, the UFC has transitioned from its initial struggling days to become a powerhouse and is now valued at $12.1 billion. Consequently, having their banner on the collaboration list would be a fruitful endeavor for USADA.
During their initial meeting in May 2023, discussions appeared to be positive. However, according to Tygart, the UFC expressed uncertainty about making Conor McGregor wait for six months after entering the testing pool, as stated in their announcement.
Now, announcer Brendan Fitzgerald, in his recent Tweet claimed that since USADA lost a big client and a lot of money they are being salty. He wrote:
“USADA just lost a big client and a lot of money, so they’re a bit salty. UFC drug program remains in place… just not paying a middle man.“
Fitzgerald appeared to take on USADA due to the nature of their statement. However, the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones criticized them for the issues he had encountered.
Jon Jones criticized USADA
Many consider Jon Jones as one of the leading contenders in the GOAT debate. Throughout his professional career, he has secured victory in all his matches except for one disqualification loss, and one win that was later ruled a no-contest.
Jones’s victory over the former two-division champion, Daniel Cormier, at UFC 214 was nullified. It was declared a no-contest by the CSAC due to Jones testing positive for the anabolic steroid Turinabol.
However, later, USADA cleared him of any wrongdoing as picograms of the substance were deemed within legal limits. Following the USADA-UFC split, Jones shared his perspective on Twitter.
The future of UFC’s approach to anti-doping remains uncertain. Whether they opt for another third-party mediator or handle it in-house will become apparent shortly. Nonetheless, this decision marks the conclusion of the rollercoaster journey involving USADA and the UFC.
