Most of the time drug scandals in mixed martial arts involve performance-enhancers, but not always. MMA has had it’s fair share of non-PED related drug scandals as well, some of them having a real impact on the landscape of the sport, and on one occasion allowed Daniel Cormier the opportunity to be champion.
This list begs the question of when is it a promotion’s right or obligation to step in and discipline a fighter for non-PED drug offences. There are many who believe it is never the role of the UFC or any other fight promotion to interfere when the drugs in question are not performance-enhancers, but that is not how things are currently being handled in mixed martial arts or any other sport.
The attempted 5-year suspension to Nick Diaz for multiple test failures for marijuana is a testament as to how far commissions are willing to discipline fighters for recreational drug use.
Of all the drug scandals that have occurred in mixed martial arts, here are the top 5.