Rousey against testing for marijuana
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey gave the Nevada State Athletic Commission a verbal lashing at Wednesday’s UFC 193 news conference in Melbourne following its fiveyear suspension of Nick Diaz, 32.
Diaz (26-9 mixed martial arts, 7-6 UFC) also was fined $165,000 for a positive marijuana test stemming from his bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 183. Diaz had tested positive for the substance twice, and his third offense was met with one of the NSAC’s harshest punishments. Several fighters spoke out on his behalf, no one more explicitly than Rousey.
“I know no one asked me anything, but ... it’s so not right for (Diaz) to be suspended five years for marijuana. I’m against them testing for any weed at all. It’s not a performance-enhancing drug. It has nothing to do with athletic competition, and it’s only tested for political reasons.”
Rousey expressed frustration that Diaz’s UFC 183 opponent Silva, who failed multiple drug tests around the event for anabolic steroids, got only a one-year suspension for his violation. Rousey said the difference in punishments shows an obvious problem.
“It’s so unfair if one person tests for steroids that could actually really hurt a person and the other person smokes a plant that makes them happy and he gets suspended for five years, whereas the guy that could hurt someone gets a slap on the wrist,” she said.
UFC boss Dana White plans to learn more when he returns home. “It seems a little rough. ... I’ve got to see what’s going on,” he said. “I’d imagine if they suspended him for five years and $150,000, it’s more than just marijuana. That doesn’t make sense.”