Ecuadorian UFC lightweight fighter Marlon Vera spoke out about the doping control problems within the promotion, hinting that fighters from some countries aren't being tested properly.
I heard [that] there are drugs [that] you can take, and literally overnight, it kind of, like disappears [from your system]. And, like, you can go for a vacation, [you can do many things to cheat]. Like, USADA is effective but are USADA testing people in a f*****g third world country? Or [are they testing people] deep down in f*****g Russia, I don't know. I live in f*****g California, they come to my house all the time. I would rather die than cheat, so. That's just me, right?
Marlon Vera in an interview with Michael Bisping's YouTube channel
Vera's next fight will be on February 19 at UFC Fight Night 219. His opponent is American Cory Sandhagen.
Vera had his last fight against American Dominick Cruz last August at UFC on ESPN 41. In that fight, Marlon won by knockout in the fourth round. He has 20 wins, seven losses and one draw.
As a reminder, the UFC began working with USADA in 2015 to gain legal sport status. Since then fighters of the promotion are regularly tested by the organization's employees for the banned drugs in their blood: before and after the fights, as well as during the off-season.