Welcome to Midnight Mania!
T.J. Dillashaw has been suspended two years for EPO, an injectable Performance Enhancing Drug (PED). You can read all about it here. He voluntarily gave up his title, and UFC’s current plan is to have Marlon Moraes fight Flyweight champion Henry Cejudo for it. Once it had the positive result, United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) also went back and tested some older samples from Dillashaw, one of which also came back positive. This raises several questions: why isn’t USADA testing every sample for EPO (even if it does require a special test), and second, if Dillashaw was using EPO before he fought Cody Garbrandt, should Garbrandt’s title be reinstated? As Garbrandt pointed out, all of his losses (the two to Dillashaw and one to Pedro Munhoz) have been to fighters who have failed drug tests in the past. Of course, Garbrandt was self aware enough to realize that isn’t the only reason he lost.
Let’s make this clear I’m not saying my losses are a direct result of PED convicted fighters. I also fought like a dumb ass
— Cody Garbrandt (@Cody_Nolove) April 9, 2019
The question was originally posed on Twitter. It seems like a far-fetched scenario, given that UFC have no actual legal rules governing their belts. The Olympics does reverse old decisions, and Lance Armstrong had his title retroactively stripped. It would be an odd decision for a promoter to return the belt to a fighter who just lost three fights by knockout, even if two of those losses were to someone who is now known to be a PED abuser.
The question, therefore, is not whether UFC will (it won’t), but whether it ought to return Garbrandt’s belt to him, if his opponent was cheating to win. If not, Dillashaw may have been caught, but the damage has been done to Garbrandt’s career.
Poll
Should the UFC reinstate Cody’s belt if Dillashaw was on EPO before they fought?
Insomnia
Garbrandt knew it the whole time — after all, he said Dillashaw was the guy who taught Team Alpha Male how to do it!
Cody Garbrandt posted this on Twitter in April of 2018, specifically accusing Dillashaw of using EPO. pic.twitter.com/fiBXf3Z45z
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) April 9, 2019
The memes abounded. All those supplements to blame, and you got busted for something that can only be done via needle.
Of course, Conor McGregor had to get his two cents in.
Respect Cody!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 9, 2019
The loyalty you showed for Urijah and your team on that faithful day in the TUF gym will forever stand out to me!
Enjoy this moment and these returned victories to you!
Clean and Unbeaten! https://t.co/c15qkvthOF
Imagine Jon Jones being the snitch behind the Dillashaw drug bust?
We all know it was Jon... stop taking credit for everything pic.twitter.com/k6GhDcRcPU
— Ricky Doobs (@rick_doobs) March 21, 2019
The commentary is the best part of this video by far ...
fight that broke out in the crowd at bkfc5.
— fightforyourright (@fight4yourrite) April 8, 2019
the commentary is pic.twitter.com/vdQFTlTpH8
Dillon Danis apparently had his eyes dilated right before this press conference?!?!?!
Maybe I’m a sucker, but I’m still interested in seeing how Machida vs. Sonnen plays out.
Machida-Sonnen pic.twitter.com/j5aQaiyUxx
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) April 9, 2019
Don’t mess with Brazilian jiu-jisu competitors!
Weight classes!
my first 15 hours with bloodborne pic.twitter.com/JbqB2owhz0
— Jon Jones (@jonjones) April 8, 2019
Destroyer of worlds:
Sleep well, Maniacs! A better tomorrow is always possible. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality