Dana White says the strict rules regarding marijuana use could eventually ease, but insists fighters 'can't be showing up high' to events.
Ever since establishing a close relationship with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the UFC has managed to stamp out performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) from the sport - to a certain degree at least.
But one substance that continues to spark debate among mixed martial arts fighters, fans and experts is marijuana.
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While some would argue that marijuana is not exactly performance enhancing, the UFC's Vice President for athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky thinks otherwise.
Working closely with USADA, Novitzky - also known by some fighters as "The Golden Snitch" - has been cracking down on drug use within the sport and in particular marijuana.
And despite marijuana being legal in a number of US states, the UFC's strict regulations have resulted in a number of big-name stars getting slapped with suspensions for casual or medical use.
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But things are about to change.
UFC head honcho White says he's finalising a contingency plan with the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a bid to loosen up the rules a bit.
"We've been working on that for a very long time; I'm surprised that actually happened [UFC fighter Nike Price being suspended]," White told MMA Junkie.
"They must have been way over the threshold then. I don't know."
"I don't think you can not test. When you're in competition, you have to test these guys. You can't let somebody go into the ring high. It just can't happen.
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"So I don't know what to do with that. But, yeah, we're trying to loosen it up, but at the same time you can't have guys showing up high."
Topics: Nate Diaz, UFC, Australia, MMA, Dana White
