Vitor Belfort Passes Nov. 1 Random Drug Test Ahead of UFC 184
Vitor Belfort has cleared the first of what is likely to be several hurdles leading up to his UFC 184 title challenge of middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
At the behest of the Nevada Athletic Commission, Belfort was given a random drug test on Nov. 1, which included both blood and urine specimens. NAC executive director Bob Bennett confirmed the test and its results to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday, following an initial report by ESPN.
Belfort tested negative for all banned substances and his blood serum testosterone levels were within normal range, according to Bennett.
Belfort and Weidman are scheduled to headline UFC 184 on Feb. 28 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
SEE ALSO: UFC 184: Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort Event Page and Fight Card
The fight, however, has been nearly a year in the making. It was first scheduled for May in Las Vegas, but delayed when Belfort felt he needed more time to come in line with Nevada’s decision to end testosterone replacement therapy exemptions. Belfort had been one of the fighters utilizing the therapy.
He had tested positive for an elevated testosterone-to-epitesterone ratio in a February random drug screen, while still utilizing the TRT regimen. Belfort has also tested positive for steroids on a prior occasion in Nevada.
The fight with Weidman appeared to be on track for UFC 181 on Dec. 6 with Belfort getting approved for a license in Nevada with the stipulation that he would submit to and pay for any and all testing requested by the state’s commission.
Weidman, however, suffered a broken hand in the lead-up, so the bout was rescheduled for UFC 184 in late February. With the move to Los Angeles, Belfort still had to agree to any testing requested by Nevada, plus, he must also submit to any testing required at the request of the California State Athletic Commission.
So there is a strong likelihood that there will be more random drug testing for Belfort in the next three months.
