2023 year in review video: UFC drops drug testing partner USADA

After a near-decade partnership, the UFC decided to cut ties with USADA and go in a different direction for drug testing.

With 2023 coming to a close, “Spinning Back Clique” looked back at the biggest stories of the year in mixed martial arts.

On this week’s year-in-review episode, our panel of Mike Bohn, Nolan King and Brian “Goze” Garcia discussed the UFC ending its partnership with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

A business relationship that began in 2015 officially ends in January, as the UFC will partner with Drug Free Sport International to run its athlete anti-doping program. UFC executive vice president and chief business officer Hunter Campbell and senior vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitsky announced the news of the change at a press conference after USADA CEO described the relationship between the two parties as “untenable.”

Was the USADA experiment worth it? Will the new-look anti-doping program be better for the athletes?

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You can watch their discussion with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia in the video above, and check out the full episode below.