Last week, Chad Mendes was flagged for a potential anti-doping violation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Yesterday, he broke his silence on the matter and says he plans to own up to an honest mistake.
I didn’t do my homework and that was a big mistake. I own it and I’m going to pay for it.
— chad mendes (@chadmendes) June 18, 2016
The circumstances of Mendes’ potential violation are currently unknown, although the UFC confirmed that the results stemmed from an out-of-competition drug test.
‘Money’, a three-time UFC featherweight title challenger, lost his last two fights to Conor McGregor and Frankie Edgar. The 31-year-old stepped in on short notice to take on McGregor for the interim belt at UFC 189, losing via second-round TKO after a back-and-forth brawl in the first. Many expected a competitive fight with Edgar, but Mendes was clipped with a left hook to the nose in the first round, marking the second clean knockout loss of his career.
Since the UFC’s partnership with the USADA, several fighters have been caught using performance-enhancing drugs, including former champions Lyoto Machida, Frank Mir, and Anderson Silva.
For Mendes, who represents Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male, a hefty suspension could spell disaster for the rest of his career. The powerhouse wrestler has slipped down the featherweight rankings and is unlikely to receive another title shot.
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