By Adam Martin
MONTREAL — UFC president Dana White called recently released welterweight Matt Riddle a “f—ing moron” Thursday, refuting the claims of the fighter who has tested positive for marijuana metabolites in two straight appearances that he was cut because of his performances.
Speaking to reporters for over an hour following the UFC 158 pre-fight press conference, White addressed the fact that the UFC has cut over 20 fighters from its roster in the last few weeks, with one of the names on the list being Riddle.
Riddle, who has fought all of his professional MMA fights in the Octagon, was released by the organization following a positive drug test for marijuana metabolites after his UFC on FUEL TV 7 victory over Che Mills, a win that was overturned to a no contest.
It was Riddle’s second positive drug test for marijuana metabolites in less than a year — he also tested positive for the drug following his UFC 149 submission victory over Chris Clements (also turned to a no contest). Thus, the UFC handed him his walking papers, despite the fact that the promotion let Thiago Silva and Dave Herman fail multiple drug tests only to send them to rehab, not to mention handing Nick Diaz a title shot coming off a suspension.
According to Riddle, who appeared on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour soon after being released, he believes part of the reason he was cut was because of his wrestling-heavy style. After all, White himself publicly criticized Riddle’s win over Mills, saying it was a boring fight. He also said Riddle changed his style from a stand-and-bang type (see his UFC 124 fight against Sean Pierson), to a more conservative, takedown-heavy approach (see the Mills fight).
But according to the UFC president, the reason why Riddle was cut had nothing to do with his style at all.
“We’re not cutting wrestlers and everyone will have an excuse why they were cut,” White said. “Matt Riddle did an interview saying ‘I smoke weed so I don’t beat my children,’ then he tested positive for it. He’s a f—ng moron. He’s a moron. He said he thought he was cut because he had a boring fight — well he’s had boring fights before that (and wasn’t cut).”
Riddle, who recently signed with Texas-based Legacy FC, also told Helwani that even if he picked up a few wins outside of the organization and was asked to return, he wouldn’t accept the UFC’s offer.
And that’s just fine with White, who hinted to reporters that Riddle isn’t getting the call back to the big show ever again.
White also added that while he doesn’t believe marijuana is a PED, it is technically illegal, and until it’s legalized, fighters will continue to be punished for its usage, and making comments like the one Riddle did certainly added more reason to release him.
NOTES: White dropped a number of other interesting tidbits on reporters Thursday. Here’s the best of the bunch:
— He said that if Diaz fails his post-fight drug test at UFC 158, the promotion would “probably” have to cut him. Diaz has previously failed two drug tests for marijuana metabolites, at both UFC 143 and back in the Pride Fighting Championship. White added that he would like it if he could “stop Diaz from smoking weed before a fight” but he can’t.
— On the topic of testosterone replacement therapy, White said the UFC is doing everything it can to rid it from the sport. He said the promotion will be testing fighters on TRT throughout their training camps to make sure their levels never exceed the limit allowed the athletic commissions, and he said he is trying to convince the commissions to completely ban it from the sport. White also said that Vitor Belfort, who was on TRT for his UFC on FX 7 fight against Michael Bisping, should maybe “hang his gloves up” if he needs TRT to keep fighting.
— He confirmed that the upcoming heavyweight bout between Mark Hunt and Junior dos Santos at UFC 160 will net the winner a shot at the UFC heavyweight title. Even though Hunt has a barely passable 9-7 record in MMA, White said that if he knocks out dos Santos, the former champ, “How do you not give him the title shot?”
— Speaking of title shots, White said during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference that the winner of the Johny Hendricks vs. Carlos Condit co-main event fight this weekend will be the No. 1 contender in the UFC welterweight division. However, White later said Hendricks will definitely get the next title shot with a win but Condit is in a different situation since he just fought Georges St-Pierre in November, so even if he beats Hendricks he might have to get another win in order to earn another title shot.
— He said that Chris Weidman, who fights Anderson Silva at UFC 162 for the middleweight title, is “confident” that he is going to become the first man to defeat ‘The Spider’ in the Octagon. White said that Weidman, who is undefeated at 9-0 so far in his career, told him he wants to beat Silva in July and then give him a rematch in New York later this year (if the sport is legalized in the state, which White says he feels is close).
— He said that while he likes Andrei Arlovski, he doesn’t believe a victory over Anthony Johnson at rival promotion World Series of Fighting’s second show next weekend will be enough to get him back in the UFC. White called the fight “illegitimate,” citing the fact that Arlovski has always been a heavyweight while Johnson used to previously fight at welterweight in the UFC. However, White did say the UFC is watching Johnson and could possibly sign him again in the future, but he needs to prove he can make weight.
— The UFC also announced that the promotion will be heading to Milwaukee for its UFC 164 event this August. No fights have been confirmed for the card yet.
