Report: Nearly Half Of All MMA Fighters Use Marijuana

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC

In news that will probably come as a shock to no one, more than half of all mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, based on a sample of 170 athletes across all major promotions, have admitted to using marijuana for either recreational or therapeutic use during their respective combat sports careers.

I guess Cypress Hill was right, everybody must get stoned.

“I think that sounds pretty accurate,” UFC Senior VP of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky told The Athletic. “I’ve never polled our roster — it’s all anecdotal — but I have had many, many, many discussions. It’s probably the No. 1 topic of questions that I’m asked from fighters.”

Cannabis suspensions may be “reduced or eliminated” following a WADA overhaul.

Middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum is the latest fighter to be suspended after flunking an in-competition drug test for marijuana metabolites (Carboxy-THC) at the UFC 244 pay-per-view (PPV) event last November in New York.

His timeout was reduced to five months after completing a drug treatment program.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) was handing down five-year suspensions to perennial potheads like Nick Diaz, but marijuana has started to become legal in many parts of the world.

I guess now is a good time to mention that 45.9% only represents the fighters who actually admitted to using it…