Former PRIDE champion and current UFC veteran Dan Henderson spoke to MMA video producer Rick J. Lee about the UFC’s new drug testing policies, his history with drug tests and Jon Jones.
Henderson, who has fought with a therapeutic use exemption for TRT, is glad to see the changes in drug testing that he’s been a supporter of a stronger policy for years.
“I’ve been saying it for a few years now that they need to implement random, no-advance notice drug testing and it’ll clean everything up. Maybe not everything, but it’ll really deter guys from thinking about doing illegal performance enhancing drugs,” said Henderson. “The way it was, I knew exactly when I was going to get drug tested. If I was one of these guys that did performance enhancing drugs, it wouldn’t be a big deal to know exactly when I’m going to get tested.”
For the 44 year-old, drug testing for performance enhancer hasn’t always been efficient throughout his career, particularly in his PRIDE days.
“I had asked [PRIDE] about drug testing, and they had always drug tested you over there, but it wasn’t for that,” said Henderson. “It was more for recreational drugs, cocaine and stuff like that. It was more for show, and they made a comment that they probably only [would] have a couple of fighters, me and I think they said Nogueira, would be the only fighters that they [would] have left if that was the case.”
As it concerns UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones’ failed drug test at UFC 182 for cocaine, Henderson isn’t a big fan of how the champion represented himself and how light the punishment was for Jones.
“I’m an advocate of MMA and representing the sport well and when you don’t do that, that’s when I’m not really a big fan of you,” said Henderson. “You’re subjected to higher standards [being UFC Champion], and you need to follow through with that for yourself. Make sure that you are doing everything to publicly portray the UFC and the sport well, and when you don’t do that, that’s when I have a problem.”
“I think there should’ve been higher consequences for that. It doesn’t teach anyone a lesson, it doesn’t have the fans and public respect the UFC when they don’t lay the hammer down a little bit,” said Henderson. “The UFC still can get behind him and push him to clean up, but there still needed to be some sort of reprimand also.”
Last seen losing his second fight in a row to Gegard Mousasi, Dan Henderson will try to stop his losing streak at two in June at UFC Fight 68 against Tim Boetsch.