UFC Announces Partnership With New Drug Testing Provider

The UFC has replaced USADA with Drug Free Sport International, who will take control over drug testing in 2024.

The news comes after the USADA CEO, Travis Tygart, confirmed that they would not renew their contract in 2024. This was following disagreements with the UFC over implementing their guidance, as shown through Conor McGregor’s return to USADA testing. Despite the organization needing fighters to provide two negative samples over a six-month period, the following comments suggested that the UFC were not too keen on it.

“The relationship between USADA and UFC became untenable given the statements made by UFC leaders and others questioning USADA’s principled stance that McGregor not be allowed to fight without being in the testing pool for at least six months,” USADA said

And as the relationship became untenable, the UFC moved on to work with Drug Free Sport International. The organization will begin their work in 2024, with question marks over whether McGregor will still abide by the six-month USADA rule since they are no longer working with the UFC. Regardless of what the case may be, the UFC executive vice president and chief business officer, Hunter Campbell, did have regret over the way things panned out with USADA.

“Frankly, I would say, the first six years of the program, USADA was an incredible partner. I know that we built out the single greatest testing program in all of professional sports. I couldn’t be prouder of the program that was built…We didn’t terminate the USADA partnership. We just informed them that we wouldn’t be renewing and that we would be building out a new program at the beginning of the year,” Campbell