L. Machida (photo) criticizes USADA for different treatment between fighters. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter UFCBrasil)
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which controls the examinations of Ultimate athletes, was the target of criticism by the Brazilian Lyoto Machida. In an interview with the 'MMA Fighting' website, the 'Dragon' criticized the commission's bias in allowing Jon Jones faced Alexander Gustafson at UFC 232. In December 2018, the American tested positive for banned substances.
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“I don’t like to judge anyone. Perhaps USADA is telling the truth and the substances found are remnants of old contamination. But, as everything is a game of interests, we have questions and we never know what is happening, anything that is behind it all”, said Machida. “We don’t know USADA’s intentions or the UFC’s intentions. Therefore, I prefer to remain silent and not get involved, because I am more focused on Bellator now”, commented the Brazilian.
At the time, the event was scheduled to take place in Las Vegas (USA), but, as Jones would not be able to regularize his situation in time to fight in the state of Nevada, the entire card was hastily changed to the city of Los Angeles (USA) . At the time, it was said that the substances found in Jones' urine were remnants of the dosage detected in the last case involving the current champion, in 2017, when the North American was suspended for 15 months.
Lyoto, however, admitted that he was upset when he found out about Jones' suspension, because, in his opinion, the commission treated Jon's case differently when compared to other athletes in the company, which, for the Brazilian, takes away the credibility of the entity.
“What I have heard is that it takes away some credibility. There are two weights and two measures. We can say that all other commissions have flaws. But they may have flaws that are intentional, when they are used to protect someone, or they are flaws within the system itself.”
In 2016, Machida admitted to having ingested a prohibited substance during his training period for the UFC Tampa (USA), where it would face Dan Henderson. The Brazilian was suspended for 18 official competitions.
For the UFC, after his suspension, Lyoto fought three more times, winning two fights and being defeated in another.
In 2018, after the end of his contract with Ultimate, 'Dragon' signed a contract with Bellator. After transferring to the competing company, Machida says he is relieved to no longer have to 'face' USADA in his career.
“To tell the truth, I was always very tense with the commission. Ask any UFC fighter. There's tension in the air because you never know what's going to happen. You never know if there was contamination and the penalties are usually cruel”, concluded the fighter.
The next appointment Lyoto Machida will be against the North American Chael Sonnen, on June 14th, in New York (USA). It will be the second time that the Brazilian fights after the end of his contract with the UFC.
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