Jiri Prochazka drug tested by USADA over 20 times in the past month
UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka has been getting to know his local USADA representative pretty well this year.
According to a report from TSN reporter Aaron Bronsteter, Prochazka has been tested by USADA a shocking 24 times in the past month. That brings his 2022 test total to 51, which makes him the most tested athlete in the UFC this year by a long shot. Kamaru Usman and Manuel Kape are tied for second place with just 15 tests apiece.
Bronsteter reached out to USADA to confirm the unusually high numbers on Prochazka’s account to ensure there wasn’t some sort of data entry error. USADA confirmed that the numbers were accurate, but wouldn’t disclose why they were testing the light heavyweight champion so much.
Athletes who have submitted the most samples in 2022:
J. Prochazka 51
M. Kape 15
K. Usman 15
A.Carnelossi 14
M. Cirkunov 14
N. Magny 14
R. Namajunas 13
H. Cejudo 12
P. Costa 12
J. Masvidal 12— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 26, 2022
That leaves fans wondering what Prochazka could have done to raise the suspicions of USADA to the point where they’d test him almost every day for a month, and over three times as much as any other UFC fighter. While USADA randomly drug tests all athletes on the roster, they have been known to increase the amount of testing for various reasons. An unusual / suspicious test result, a whereabouts failure, or allegation made to USADA could trigger this.
Recently, Jiri Prochazka made headlines after revealing he’d spent three days locked away in a dark tent without food to re-center his mind and body.
“It’s very helpful, there is just you and you. No other people.” Prochazka said on a recent episode of The MMA Hour. “That was my first time when I did that without food, so just with water. It’s much more strong when you’re without food. All the processes in your body is much stronger. Your mind’s working a lot, and you have to die here first. And three days, four days, that’s not so much. But I’m using that just to recognize who I am really, and then I can start training and pushing to the next level with truly me, more honestly.”
After learning about USADA’s unusual interest in Jiri, fans joked that it was the only time he was able to escape constant harassment from the drug testing agency.
no wonder this guy has to lock himself in a cage for 3 days, USADA’s testing him if he’s anywhere else
— Pinnacle (@Pinnacle__) October 26, 2022
Maybe he’s taking Conor’s tests for him?
— Dan Shapiro (@ByDanShapiro) October 26, 2022
Jiri Prochazka is set to face Glover Teixeira on December 10th at UFC 282. It’s a rematch of their Fight of the Year candidate at UFC 275 that saw Prochazka submit Teixeira in a last-minute come from behind victory. Despite the win, Prochazka called for a second fight so he could prove to himself and the fans that he could perform better.
USADA is certainly making sure his performance is enhancement free.
What do you think of USADA’s obsession with testing Jiri Prochazka, PENN Nation? Let us know in the comments!
