[svj]

Out of the two positives, I assume at least one of them must be genuine.... so riddle me this, Batman...

What does the UFC expect its fighters to do if they sustain pulls/strains/injuries in training?

Phone in to Dana and say "I just pulled something in my back, I can't make the fight. Go ahead and give my paycheck to someone else" ?

I think "don't blame the fighter, blame the system."

Except for a select few top-notch fighters (and Tito), most of these guys need to fight several times a year to keep food on their table and clothes on their kids. Backing out of a fight simply is not an option for the majority of these fighters. Is it any surprise that these guys are taking perforance enhancing substances to increase their performance, healing times, and decrease their chance of injury?

It seems to me that unless something is done about the pay structure in the UFC, and other incentives to juice are dealt with, these incidents will keep happening. Very, very regularly.

I'm a huge MMA fan, but I'm also a businessman. As a businessman, it seems to me the best way for White, Fertita & Co. to avoid these almost monthly black eyes is to put their contracted fighters on a "training wage", my pro wrestler buddy refers to it as a "downside gaurantee". Fighters who are then found in violation can have additional stiffer fines imposed by the employer, since fighters are now looked after in the case of the inevitable injury.

Of course this is just one idea, and it is open to abuse. But that abuse can at least be dealt with behind closed doors, not in the public arena, where media outlets make their livings off of sensationalizing things like this.

The front office is certainly maximizing its profits by attempting to keep fighter salaries in check. I respect that. But shouldn't they need to balance that against the cost of the bad press they receive every month in positive drug tests?

I'm also fairly certain that's not the best solution to the problem, it's just my solution. Anyone else with any ideas?