Rich Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Marquardt was apparently having HRT for testosterone deficiency, and didn't get the paperwork sorted out in time for him to be cleared to fight. Or something like that. Can understand why Dana was pissed off...if it was an issue that Nate was aware of 6 weeks ago, and could have resolved, to not get it done was pretty shit, especially as it left them a day to shuffle a card around. he had been on the treatment for his two previous fights and had passed tests for both. However with testosterone replacement therapy you have to go off the treatment of some periods as you run the risk of the testes shutting down. Coming back on to the treatment in the aftermath of the Miller fight in New Jersey (where he passed all his drug tests) his doctor recommended rather than the pills he had been taking that a single injection would help his condition (a condition that is apparently undiagnosed and noone is really sure of what it exactly is), this elevated his testosterone levels such that blood tests for several weeks out from the fight were unnaturally high and were not dropping quickly, and unfortunately Nate was unsure of the injection as he was not 100% confident it would not cause problems with drug testing, licensing, etc... for the Johnson/Story fight. Coming in to fight week the levels were dropping to the point where Nate and his team felt he would past the tests come fight day. Nate's independent tests were such that they were still above the threshold level required by the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission and as a result the doctor suggest he did not take the test and fail so Nate was pulled from the fight, had the fight been a night later Nate would have been able to pass the test assuming their own tests have been accurate. Throughout this illness (going back to around the time he fought Palhares last September) The UFC have been aware of all this. This was posted on another website: Nate put down Hormone Replacement Therapy on his initial medicals/application 6 weeks ago. PA wanted a doctor's note/confirmation to get it approved and he just kept stalling and stalling. Bit less it than what yours suggested, but also puts Nate more in the wrong than yours would suggest. So yeah, I don't really know >_> I actually watched the interview with him, if he is telling the truth the UFC knew everything about the situation months and months ago 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Yeah, but UFC's knowledge or otherwise isn't the point necessarily. What happened was that he was given 6 weeks to come up with something, or at least prove that things were OK, he kept stalling (probably hoping that it would sort itself out), but was only able to tell the UFC that he wasn't able to make the fight a day before. If there was ever a doubt, he could have pulled out earlier, which is probably why Dana was pissed off enough to fire him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Yeah, but UFC's knowledge or otherwise isn't the point necessarily. What happened was that he was given 6 weeks to come up with something, or at least prove that things were OK, he kept stalling (probably hoping that it would sort itself out), but was only able to tell the UFC that he wasn't able to make the fight a day before. If there was ever a doubt, he could have pulled out earlier, which is probably why Dana was pissed off enough to fire him. Well the UFC's knowledge is the point... by your logic they knew he had a problem and didn't pull him from the fight so why should they be pissed off? I think Dana is more frustrated and disappointed than "pissed off" judging by the language he has used in the aftermath of the situation describing Marquardt as a "sweetheart". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I'd assume that they were given assurances that 'everything would be OK', or some such thing. Sure, they coulda pulled him, but they'd already marketed the fight. And yeah, I say pissed off, he was clearly annoyed when he fired him. I'm sure he doesn't legitimately dislike the guy, and given a couple of wins somewhere else, he'll probably be back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I'd assume that they were given assurances that 'everything would be OK', or some such thing. Sure, they coulda pulled him, but they'd already marketed the fight. And yeah, I say pissed off, he was clearly annoyed when he fired him. I'm sure he doesn't legitimately dislike the guy, and given a couple of wins somewhere else, he'll probably be back. They marketed the fight LAST SEPTEMBER when they originally found out he had problems? And then proceeded to put him through 2 more fights, one of which was in New Jersey where the NJSAC had made him take drug tests 8 weeks after the fight to ensure everything was ok? The UFC could have forseen that they may have problems and not have put him in the marquee position, they knew he had a major illness that has still not been properly diagnosed. They claim to have act responsibly for their fighters, however this feels to me like an occasion where the quick decision by the UFC feels more than a little harsh to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Not really wanting to argue, but I'm fairly sure that the UFC can't force someone to fight against their will. Sure, they probably shouldn't have put him in a marquee position, but Nate had to have been accepting these fights, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I am just saying its a two way thing, the blame has to be spread between Marquardt and his team and the UFC as both sides putting the company and a major event in to an awkward position just 24hrs prior to an event. (Y) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 (edited) (Y) (N) BATISTA BOMB! Edited June 28, 2011 by Liam 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I really don't see how the UFC is at all to blame for the situation. When a top fighter has issues to deal with, they are more than willing to step in and help as much as they possibly can. Just look at what Brock Lesnar has been through. The blame falls on Marquardt for failing to notify the UFC brass that he was having issues that made him believe that he would have a difficult time being cleared to fight. When you're four weeks out and having a hard time getting in position to be ready, you should notify them. When you're two weeks, or a week out from the fight, and you don't say anything, you're putting your employer in a bad position. When you fail to get cleared and force them to scramble, you're lucky if they don't fire you. When you're the main event, and do all of this... you'll be lucky if you're not Frank Shamrock'd. Sure, they knew he had issues, but as far as they were aware, the issues were being dealt with and Nate would be able to fight. He'd done it twice already, as someone so eloquently pointed out. The guy took the fight, because he wants to keep fighting and needs to get paid. He failed to notify his bosses that he might be unable to compete with enough time for them to put something together. Nate Marquardt is to blame for the mess, and Dana White had every right to fire him for it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/6/29/2249743/new-jersey-denied-nate-marquardts-therapeutic-exemption-application More information on what happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzy Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 As expected, the PSAC overturned the Oliveira/Lentz decision to a no-contest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mr. potato head Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Marquardt deserves blame but it's a ridiculous double standard for him to get fired and Sonnen to get a big money match. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Marquardt deserves blame but it's a ridiculous double standard for him to get fired and Sonnen to get a big money match. It's a different situation though. Timing is the key here. Sonnen fucked up, and it put a wrench in the plans, but it wasn't the day before a scheduled main event fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Marquardt deserves blame but it's a ridiculous double standard for him to get fired and Sonnen to get a big money match. It's a different situation though. Timing is the key here. Sonnen fucked up, and it put a wrench in the plans, but it wasn't the day before a scheduled main event fight. Yet this is not the first time Sonnen has made a mistake, he consistently puts both of his feet in his mouth, though that is always entertaining, got caught for taking testosterone replacement therapy that he did not disclose to the athletic commision, the only reason he doesn't get a rematch for the 185 belt is because of the 6 month suspension he got from this, and then gets offered big money fights and almost a spot as the coach on TUF until he is found guilty of money laundering charges... Now I love Sonnen and his antics and find him very entertaining, but for the UFC to continue to use this guy in a very visible position while at the same time firing and vilifying other individuals for similar or less serious offences does seem like a double standard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 But Marquardt did test positive for nandrolone before, so it wasn't exactly his first offense either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 But Marquardt did test positive for nandrolone before, so it wasn't exactly his first offense either. Trace amounts from an over the counter product, when addtional samples were taken by the Nevada and Denver Athletic comissions neither found anything worng. He basically took something that was legal, but then gave him a small steroid boost which is what the Athletic commision picked up, it was a slimming medication I believe inconjunction with some hormone replacement tablets that got him caught, his suspension was lifted very quickly and he was not fined, even Dana backed him up back then. Look I have never ever said that Nate should not have been fired, nor that he should no shoulder responsibility, I am claiming however that the UFC's kneejerk reaction, backed up by an apparently history of inconsistencies in the way it treats its fighters makes it seem less than professional. IMO they should seriously look at treating anybody who brings the sport in to disrepute in a manner similar to Nate, let them plead their case and then let them leave, this is what should have happened, he should have been given a few days to tell his side of the story and then been released. As Sonnen should have been, as Daley should have been as any fighter who has an infraction that damages the image of the UFC/MMA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mr. potato head Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Marquardt deserves blame but it's a ridiculous double standard for him to get fired and Sonnen to get a big money match. It's a different situation though. Timing is the key here. Sonnen fucked up, and it put a wrench in the plans, but it wasn't the day before a scheduled main event fight. Yeah, so Sonnen gets rewarded for calling the legitimacy of a match into question and Marquardt gets fired for avoiding that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Yeah, so reading Sherdog's article on Tito got me thinking, does he deserve to go into the Hall of Fame? While I know its not something that prestigious, the fact remains that Tito, along with Couture and Liddell were probably the three guys that are mainly responsible for the UFC becoming mainstream. What do you guys think? Also, is it true that listing out your sponsors during the post-fight interview is banned nowadays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRN Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Firstly, yes, Tito deserves it. He might be a dick but he is responsible for the some of the biggest ratings the UFC has ever gotten and he does have a decorated MMA career (for the most part). Also, it is going to be hilarious when he hands Ryan Bader his second loss in a row. Secondly, I don't care at all, I barely watch UFC live so I have the privilige to just skip all that hype bullshit and go straight to the fights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_da_bill Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 I am jacked up for tonight's pay-pew-view for some reason. I know people have doubts about a card headlined by bantamweights, but I can't wait. Top to bottom the main card has big time matches with 3 - 4 of them having some kind of title implications in my opinion, depending on where you think Wandy is in the MW picture, I think a win puts him in the title shot discussion cause MW needs someone like Wandy to step up into the hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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