In a bazaar 24 hours, the UFC 244 main event between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal has been turned on its head.
Diaz tweeted on Thursday that he was out of the fight because of an adverse drug test result that indicated “elevated levels,” though he failed to identify the substance. He went on to say that unnamed individuals had told him to remain quiet about the issue. He declined to do so because he insists he’s a clean fighter and doesn’t want to be accused of cheating.
“I’m not gonna make it out to NYC for fight week next week because they say I tested with elevated levels that they say might be from some tainted supplements,” Diaz wrote. “I call false on that cause I only take Whole Food or natural food supplements. I don’t even eat meat.
“So until UFC, USADA or whoever is f—ing with me fixes it, I won’t be competing.
“I’m not gonna play their game and try and hide it or keep quiet, as they suggested. I’m not gonna have my name tainted as a cheater like these other motherf—ers who keep quiet until after the fight just so that they can get paid.”
A few hours later, ESPN reported that Diaz had not been provisionally suspended or removed from the fight.
Now, however, Diaz insists he won’t fight unless his name is cleared first.
“Clear my name or I ain’t doin’ s–t,” Diaz wrote on Friday.
Just what qualifies as clear is also a mystery.
Unidentified sources told ESPN that Diaz tested positive for trace amounts of a prohibited selective androgen receptor module (SARM). That could potentially indicate the result was caused by a tainted supplement, but neither UFC nor USADA officials had yet to comment as of late Friday afternoon.
For now, the fight remains in limbo, while details of the drug test result get sorted.
Do you think Diaz and Masvidal will be in the cage, fighting at UFC 244 next week?
https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/1187874028108709888?s=20
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