If Nick and Nate Diaz are to be believed, everyone in the UFC is using anabolic steroids. The outspoken brothers have never hesitated to make accusations against specific fighters but now they are throwing the entirety of the UFC and its fighters under the bus as one collective steroid orgy.
UFC 196 main event – Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz
UFC lightweight contender Nate Diaz most recently launched the steroid bomb along with a slew of other obscenities at UFC featherweight champion Conor “Notorious” McGregor during the UFC 196 pre-fight press conference. But Nate didn’t stop with McGregor. He also singled out UFC lightweight contenders Rafael dos Anjos and Anthony Pettis by name. And then every single other fighter on the UFC payroll.
“They’re all on steroids! Everybody,” Diaz screamed into the microphone.
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor denies using steroids
McGregor was on the stage with Nate to promote their welterweight bout at UFC 196 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on March 5, 2016. There was no way McGregor was gong to let those comments slide.
“Steroids? Man, what are you talking about, steroids?” McGregor replied. “Don’t be putting my name with steroids. I’m major against that. Don’t put my name and the name of steroids’ name. The only weight I give a fuck about is the weight of them checks. And my checks are always super-heavyweight. So I don’t give a shit.”
Maybe Nate is wondering how McGregor will jump two weight classes and maintain a competitive edge when fighting him. McGregor only weighed 145 pounds when he knocked out Jose Aldo at UFC 194 in December 2015. This means McGregor’s competition weight may increase as much as 25 pounds in 3 months if he tops out at the 170 welterweight cutoff.
“Me?! What are you talking about, me?! I’m not on no steroids! What the fuck you talking about?” McGregor continued to defend himself. “Your two teammates [Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields] were on steroids. Your boys. The Scrap Pack. Remember that? Did you know they were taking that stuff? Did you know they were taking that stuff? Didja?”
Of course, if Nate believes everyone is on steroids then he probably agrees that his teammates Melendez and Shields are using steroids too. And what about Nate? Nate didn’t explicitly say that he is using steroids too but “everyone” must certainly include him as well.
Nate’s older brother apparently already answered that question back in December 2015. Nick Diaz admitted that both he and his brother used steroids in an interview on the “You’re Welcome” podcast hosted by retired UFC fighter Chael Sonnen.
“I’m pretty convinced about everybody is on steroids,” Diaz said. “I mean everybody. Me and my brother [UFC lightweight Nate Diaz], I don’t think (Frankie Edgar) is on steroids, but a lot of these guys, they’re on steroids. That stuff messes with chemicals in your head. I’m just talking shit on everybody right now cause as far as I’m concerned, everybody’s on steroids.”
Nate Diaz accuses Conor McGregor of using steroids
Neither Nick or little brother Nate have any proof that their opponents have been using steroids. At best, Nick has proof that the UFC steroid testing program has long been ineffective. After all, Nick said he used plenty of steroids before his bout against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 158 at the Bell Centre in Montreal on March 16, 2013.
Nick had nothing to lose and did everything he could to defeat St-Pierre include the use of steroids. If steroids helped him defeat St-Pierre, Nick would have been happy to test positive, pay a fine and face a suspension. Unfortunately for Nick, he didn’t win and the UFC didn’t catch him.
“They didn’t test us because I would have tested positive for sure,” Diaz said. “I thought it was my last fight ever. What do I care? It was almost asking too much to win and not give away that fine.”
UFC President Dana White thinks the UFC has the absolute best anti-doping program in professional sports. White didn’t appreciate Nick’s comments at the time. And White was pissed at Nate’s comments this week.
“The UFC unquestionably has the best drug testing program in all of sports. All done by the United States Anti-Doping Association,” White told TMZ in response to Nate’s accusations.
Last summer with great fanfare, White announced the hiring of anti-doping crusader Jeff Novitzky as the Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance along with the signing of the USADA as the independent administrator of the UFC’s anti-steroid program.
It’s hard to believe White really thinks USADA will catch all of the UFC athletes on steroids. White can’t even remember that USADA is an acronym for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and not the U.S. Anti-Doping Association.
It’s easier to believe that most of the UFC’s steroid users have avoided detection. Nick and Nate may not have proof that steroids are ubiquitous in the UFC but they are more credible that White’s assertions of UFC as a clean sport.