Wrongful. This is the feeling of Brazilian Carlos Felipe 'Boi' after being fired by the UFC at the beginning of March. In an exclusive interview with SUPER FIGHTS, the Bahian heavyweight (up to 120,2kg) defended himself against accusations of using an illegal substance, said clearly that he is innocent and promised to return to Ultimate after the end of his doping suspension.
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“Man, honestly, I don’t even know what happened. Because 20 days before the fight (against Andrei Arlovski), at the airport, USADA tested me and found me 100% clean. Then, on the day of the fight, the Nevada Athletic Commission did another test and it came back positive. Then 20 days later USADA tested me again and the test came back 100% clear again. About three weeks later, USADA tested me again and came back clean too, so I really don't know what happened. Because, if I had actually taken something, I would have reported it in the USADA exams. I'm sure there would still be some traces because (the substance) wouldn't leave the body for about 20 days.”
Appeal to the Nevada Athletic Commission
"Like Bruno Blindado the same thing happened (suspension for doping). He even spoke to us, we exchanged a few messages. It was the same substance, everything in the same way. He managed to prove that he hadn't taken anything and even so, the guys maintained the suspension. We didn't see much sense (in the punishment), but the guys from the Athletic Commission only see what they want, right? We still argued with the USADA tests, but even so, nothing came of it. So… it’s f***”
Should a negative test done at USADA have been considered?
"For sure. I think it (the USADA tests) should have been taken into consideration, especially because USADA is the main anti-doping body in the world, right? It should even serve as proof of this, because, it doesn't make sense, if I had taken something, I took a test 20 days before and the other test, which was 20 or so days later, showed 'Boldenone', which takes a It takes a long time to leave your body, so…how is it going to disappear like that?”
Feeling after punishment
“The feeling is of injustice, for sure. That's exactly it. It's really bad for you to be punished for something you know you didn't do. If I were being punished for something I used or did, that would be fine. I am a man and I will admit my mistakes and accept the consequences. But now, damn it, it's because of a stop that I didn't make and that is delaying my life. Basically two years (without fighting).”
Did you expect to be fired from the UFC?
“No, for us it was a complete surprise, because we imagined that if they were to terminate the contract, it would be in a period close to doping, right? But it was basically five months later. I thought they wouldn't suspend the contract, but there's not much they can do either, right? But it's a situation where our hands are tied. But Nick (Maynard, responsible for the matchmaking of fights at the UFC), said that if I had a couple of good fights, after the suspension was over, I would probably come back.”
Do you intend to return to Ultimate?
“Of course, I belong there and I shouldn’t have even left, right? The dismissal was kind of unfair too, because I'm a guy who always puts on good fights, I always try to put on a show and such, I raise the crowd, so the dismissal didn't make much sense. I'm not that guy who's coming off three losses in a row, I was coming off a good streak of three wins, I caught (Andrei) Arlovski, I fought a tough fight and lost. So, it's not a case of the guy who was already losing, who was already a 'dead weight' in the category and they're going to fire me. No, it’s totally different.”
Public reaction to his dismissal
“Because I'm a guy who speaks a lot of what I think, a lot of people don't like it, I have a lot of hater, They love it when these things happen, but I don't care. I've already learned to see and 'let it go'. But, to my surprise, there were a lot of people supporting me too, even more than I was expecting, so it even gave me a boost, an 'extra boost', people supporting me on Instagram, giving me strength too.”
Feelings after the end of your first stint in the UFC?
“I would say that I wasn't 'one more' during the time I was there, right? In these five fights, I would say there was some 'noise'. But, I will do much more, for sure. I know I have the capacity to do this, but it made a little noise. And it was more or less how I was planning long before, at the beginning of my career, I was already planning all of this.”
Have you had proposals from other organizations?
“There have been some good events that have come into contact with Léo (Leonardo Pateira, one of the fighter's managers). I don't know if I can reveal the names, so it's better not to say them. That's good, is not it? I'm happy because it shows that my work is being recognized, but we're waiting for the punishment to end, do these two fights and go back to where I shouldn't have left. Léo even sent a message to the Athletic Commission's lawyer asking if I could do these two fights during the punishment and he replied that 'in theory yes, but the commission doesn't look favorably on it', so the guys are already a bit crazy people, so it’s better not to give soup to bad luck.”
Where do you intend to fight before returning to Ultimate?
“Man, that hasn’t even crossed my mind yet. Now, I'm focusing more on doing some amateur competitions, right? Amateur Jiu-Jitsu, Amateur Boxing, Amateur K-1, to not let the 'machine' stop, to always be on the move, giving that adrenaline rush and not losing the rhythm.”
How will you maintain yourself during this period of suspension?
“Man, thank God the guys always picked on me with this issue of me being aware (with money) and thank God I have a reserve that is enough to keep me going until I fight again”
About Carlos Boi
In just over a year in the UFC, Boi stepped into the Octagon on five occasions and recorded three wins and two losses. The Brazilian athlete received an 18-month punishment from the Nevada Athletic Commission for using the substance 'boldenone' and will only be able to fight professionally again in April 2023. The Brazilian has a record of 11 triumphs and two setbacks in the sport.
