5 UFC fighters who have been for streroid use

Throughout the wild-west history of the UFC, some of the promotion’s most high-profile names from top-level contenders to dominant titleholders have been hit with numerous and rather lengthy suspensions for steroid and other drug use violations.

And with the tide changing once more amid the end of the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) at the end of the year, and the introduction of a new anti-doping programe with the UFC, let’s take a look back on some of the biggest and most notorious drug test busts in the organization’s history.

Jon Jones – 

Likely the most high-profile anti-doping violators in the history of the Octagon comes in the form of undisputed heavyweight champion, and former two-time light heavyweight kingpin, Jon Jones.

A notorious drug cheat during his championship reign, in fact, Jones admitted to hiding under the Octagon in during training camp at Jackson-Wink MMA to avoid a drug test, before failing a test after returning a positive test result for the banned substance, clomiphene, and then letrozole in 2016, before testing positive for the presence of turinabol.

Gearing up for his return to the Octagon next year, Jones may be best suited to pursuing the use of the best legal steroids available to him, particularly with the UFC’s speculated lax incoming approach to fighters attempting to nurse and recovery from surgery and injury during their time on the sidelines. 

Anderson Silva –

Former undisputed middleweight champion and recent Hall of Fame inductee, Anderson Silva is revered for his status as arguably one of the greatest fighters to ever compete in mixed martial arts, however, the Brazilian has had his own run-in with anti-doping violations. 

Returning a catastrophic leg fracture back in 2015, an initial unanimous decision win over Nick Diaz at UFC 183 was overturned to an official ‘No Contest’ after Silva tested positive for the banned substances, androsterone, and drostanolone. 

Alistair Overeem –

The infamous ‘horse meat scandal’ surrounding kickboxing icon and former UFC heavyweight championship challenger, Alistair Overeem has followed the Dutch striking ace throughout his career since his arrival in the UFC, all the way until his retirement earlier this year. 

Slated to headline UFC 146 in a title fight with eventual foe, Junior dos Santos – whom he eventually knocked out, Overeem was pulled from the bout with Frank Mir replacing the former, after a pre-fight drug test revealed the Dutch striker’s testosterone level’s were elevated above the legal limit. 

Vitor Belfort –

A former undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Vitor Belfort’s run in the promotion – in quite roughshod fashion, has been described as the ‘TRT Vitor’ era – candidly.

Turning in memorable and vicious knockout wins after each other en route to a title fight clash at the middleweight limit against Chris Weidman, Brazilian icon, Befort’s elevated levels for testosterone were called into immediate question after wins over Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold, and Dan Henderson, finishing the former championship-winning trio with brutal high kick KOs.

Hector Lombard –

Cuban veteran Hector Lombard had enjoyed a stupendious run through the Bellator MMA roster en route to a title reign with the organization, before making a long-anticipated move to the UFC back in 2012.

Debuting in a decision loss to Tim Boetsch that year, the stalwart-stocky contender wouldn’t fail a drug-test until the beginning of 2015, after a decision win over Josh Burkmann was overturned to an official ‘No Contest’ after he failed a post-fight drug test for the anabolic steroid, DMT.