‘The Count’ Gets His Wish: Michael Bisping & Cung Le To Undergo Enhanced Testing Following UFC Fight Night 48

Heading into his UFC Fight Night 48 main event bout from the Cotai Arena in Macau this Saturday (August 23, 2014), middleweight veteran knows a thing or two about performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

After all, he lost to Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, and Wanderlei Silva, three fighters who have all come under scrutiny for banned substances lately, and the losses were all at crucial points in his career.

While Sonnen, Belfort, and Silva didn’t fail their drug tests when they fought Bisping (both Sonnen and Belfort were on testosterone-replacement therapy (TRT), however), their recent indiscretions may have “The Count” wondering what might have been had the sport been a bit cleaner.

That’s why he requested enhanced drug testing after his bout with Le. According to Ariel Helwani on this evening episode of UFC Tonight, Bisping has been granted his wish by the UFC:

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“Earlier today, Michael Bisping told MMAJunkie.com that he hopes that his fight with Cung Le that happens this Saturday in Macau, that they will both have to undergo enhanced drug testing, meaning blood and urine testing after the fight, but he said that he doesn’t think that’s going to happen.

Well, good news for Michael Bisping. I spoke to UFC president Dana White from Macau, and he told me that Cung Le and Michael Bisping will be subject to enhanced drug testing – blood and urine after the fight.

The UFC doing this on their own, they are the governing body in Macau because there’s no athletic commission there. They’re paying for it, and both of them will undergo that kind of testing, so that, I think, is great news.”

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A photo of Le looking absolutely ripped has been circulating online, so Bisping may have caught wind and decided to make sure that he and his opponent were on a level playing field. For his part, Le explained the photo in an interview:

“That was my real picture,” Le said of the image in question. “I just got off the scale from a hard-ass workout. I lost six-and-a-half pounds, and literally, I just came off the scale. It was just a moment like, ‘Alright, I’m so light.’ I gave it a flex, and someone caught it in perfect lighting. If I looked like that all the time, I would be happy. But I don’t. It was just because that moment. Everyone, they can talk all they want, but do they look like that? No.”

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At 35 years old, Bisping isn’t getting any younger, and with middleweight currently one of the most stacked divisions in all of MMA, he has to win now if he ever wants a shot at the title.

The first step is winning this weekend, and Bisping will have the extra-added security of knowing that he and Le are being tested thoroughly. Will the results reveal any foul play on either side?

Photo: Eric Bolte for USA TODAY Sports