It’s that time of year again when we indulge in turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes while diving into a tryptophan hangover. Concurrently, the most questionable characters of the year within mixed martial arts are recognized in the All-Turkey Team for 2023. There’ve been many dubious characters in the past, but this year’s assembly has perhaps furnished us with the most diverse criminal record yet.
The dissolving of ties between two corporate entities can draw parallels to a divorce, taking many forms. Sometimes, it’s a friendly parting, with two parties having simply grown apart, or at times, one party breaches the contract, leaving no choice for the other party but to end the relationship. Then we witness those where only those parting truly know what transpired behind closed doors and choose to vent in a public forum, resulting in embellished, mutually conflicting accounts that make everyone involved appear worse. The split between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the United States Anti-Doping Agency, its drug-testing partner since 2015, which became public in October after a heated spring and summer, falls into the latter category.
At the heart of the disagreement was the potential return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor after he coached opposite Michael Chandler on the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter” from May 30 to Aug. 15. McGregor’s expected comeback fight against Chandler was repeatedly postponed as the “Notorious” delayed entering the USADA testing pool to initiate the required six-month period before he could be cleared to compete. McGregor entered the testing pool in September, theoretically enabling him to fight as soon as March 2024. This, however, was not meant to be, at least not under the auspices of USADA.
The friction resulted in a public fiasco with USADA CEO, Travis Tygart, blaming the UFC for placing pressure on bending the six-month testing rule for McGregor and declaring the relationship “untenable.” UFC CEO, Dana White and UFC Chief Business Officer, Hunter Campbell retaliated with intense denial and accusations. Yet, amid the chaos, no significant progress was made. The UFC announced Drug Free Sport International as its new testing partner for 2024, USADA yet to declare any major action, and McGregor still does not have a confirmed fight. In the end, the only lingering grievance casts a shadow over the maturity of those wielding power within this sport.