Weidman, Masvidal, Poirier Share Wild USADA Test Stories

Chris Weidman, Jorge Masvidal, and Dustin Poirier traded USADA drug-testing horror stories on a recent episode of their Deep Waters podcast, recalling surprise visits that hit them on golf courses, at car dealerships, and even during a UFC title fight week.

Weidman, the former UFC middleweight champion, said testers once tracked him down mid-round of golf. "I had to go take pee and blood, and my boys had to wait for me to do it, because once they see you, you can't leave their eyesight," Weidman said. He also described getting flagged after forgetting to log a trip to his mountain house, leaving him racing home through traffic before a tester gave up and left, resulting in a whereabouts warning.

The most tense moment came during fight week for UFC 205 in November 2016, when Weidman was preparing to face Yoel Romero in the promotion's first card in New York City. Weidman said he had knee surgery three and a half weeks before that fight without telling the UFC, and USADA agents showed up at his door while he still had an IV band on his arm, a violation under the testing rules at the time. "It was a f*cking nightmare and I was so paranoid that I was going to get in trouble, but it ended up being good," Weidman said.

Masvidal described stalling a test after a hard training session left him unable to produce a urine sample for hours, forcing agents to trail him around Miami. "You guys are going to have to chill with me," Masvidal said he told them, before taking the testers to eat and run errands until he could go. Poirier said one visit caught him at a car dealership. "I was at the dealership sitting down signing papers," Poirier said. "They met me at the dealership. Urine and blood, at the dealership." He also recalled testers knocking on his door at 6 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday.

USADA ran the UFC's anti-doping program from 2015 to 2023 before the promotion moved on from the agency, and stories like these were common fallout from a system built on no-notice testing and strict whereabouts rules. The stories are a reminder of how invasive the no-notice testing regime could get, even for some of the sport's biggest names.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Chris Weidman say about USADA testing him during UFC 205 fight week?

Chris Weidman said USADA agents showed up at his home while he still had an IV band on his arm after secretly getting knee surgery three and a half weeks before facing Yoel Romero at UFC 205 in November 2016.

What USADA story did Jorge Masvidal tell about drug testing?

Jorge Masvidal said he could not produce a urine sample for hours after a hard training session, so USADA agents had to follow him around Miami running errands until he was able to go.

What happened when USADA tested Dustin Poirier at a car dealership?

Dustin Poirier said USADA agents met him at a car dealership to collect urine and blood samples while he was in the middle of signing papers to buy a truck.