Luke Rockhold believes the UFC’s split with the United States Anti-Doping Agency will only allow the promotion to manipulate results and hoard even more money for themselves.
Earlier this month, USADA CEO Travis Tygart revealed that the anti-doping agency would no longer work with the UFC at the end of 2023, citing a rift between the two parties over Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the testing pool.
The UFC has since confirmed that Drug Free Sport International, the organization that handles testing duties for the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NCAA, will handle the collection process as of January 1, 2024. The promotion also revealed that Former FBI special agent George Piro has been hired to head up the new in-house testing program.
Upon hearing the news, many within the MMA community were immediately critical of the change, believing that it allows the UFC to skirt its own testing protocols and manipulate results for its own financial gains. Luke Rockhold echoed those sentiments during a recent interview with Helen Yee, joking that in light of the news, maybe it’s time for a comeback of his own.
“I mean, maybe I’ll start working with some guys and come back and make a comeback,” Rockhold said with a smile. “If that’s the case, come on. I can just go back to Florida, find some scientists, and get to business. I think it’s money. I mean, imagine how much more money they pay. I know William Morris is just looking to take more money for themselves and less for the fighters and cut budgets and do their thing.
“It’s a greedy a** world they live in, unfortunately. But, hey, performances should pick up.”
He continued, “In-house testing facilities, for sure, but I don’t know. Anytime they want someone to pass a test, just like with Brock Lesnar when they wanted him to pass a test, they had USADA in their pocket enough to make that happen and then they have enough f*cking political power to shut down Mark Hunt’s whole attack on them too. There’s so much political power on their side, there’s really not much help.”
Luke Rockhold is Not Convinced That Conor McGregor Will Fight Again
Seemingly at the root of the promotion’s rift with USADA is Irish megastar Conor McGregor. After months of back-and-forth, things finally appeared to be moving in the right direction with the former two-division champ jumping back into the testing pool.
Originally thought to return by April due to a required six-month pre-fight testing period, fight fans could see McGregor back inside the Octagon far sooner than expected depending on the protocols for the promotion’s new testing program come 2024. But even with that playing in McGregor’s favor, Rockhold isn’t so sure we will ever see the Irishman back inside the cage.
“Conor has ambitions to fight, but he’s got so much money and so many distractions and events and alcohol to drink,” Rockhold said. “Who knows if it’ll make him really want to get back in there. It’s a lot to get back in there if you don’t have that fire and that hunger to do so.”
Watch the full interview below:
