In the UFC, it’s of paramount importance to comply with the rules… unless the big wigs tell you it’s okay not to.
Such is the case for Brock Lesnar, who returns to MMA for the landmark UFC 200 card on July 9th, after over four years away from the sport. He takes on ferocious knockout artist, Mark Hunt at the highly anticipated event.
How will the five year absence affect him? https://t.co/ZcbQYMhj4y
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 8, 2016
The former UFC heavyweight champion’s return was confirmed during the exceptional UFC 199 card last weekend, and Yahoo Sports broke the news that he only made himself available for USADA drug testing on June 6th.
This means that he didn’t make himself available for the four-month drug testing window for un-retiring UFC athletes, which is stipulated in the UFC-USADA policy.
The report revealed that although conversations between the fighter and the UFC had been happening for a while, the WWE only allowed Lesnar to sign an agreement last week meaning he was unable to officially start the anti-doping policy process any earlier. In the early stages of discussing a return, the UFC informed Lesnar that he would have to comply with all of the anti-doping rules.
However, according to official policy, “UFC may grant an exemption to the four-month written notice rule in exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to an athlete.”
And it seems that Lesnar’s case was deemed to be exceptional circumstances as he was granted a waiver for the four-month requirement, which was met with some backlash from fans on social media.
Re: waiving Lesnar’s 4-month USADA notice, "according to the rule, an exemption may be given, at the UFC’s discretion”
Is this a joke?
— Karim Zidan 🕊️ (@ZidanSports) June 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/JESnowden/status/740541110804701184
https://twitter.com/jrosales13/status/740542789662842880
https://twitter.com/RayMinehane/status/740548301490130945
Lesnar got an exemption from drug testing wtf
— Ryan Adams (@SuperWeenyHutJr) June 8, 2016
