Josh Barnett Says Road to Overcoming USADA Was Costly

Josh Barnett can fight once again, but he had to spend a significant amount of money in the process.

Barnett was on a provisional suspension after being flagged for a violation of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) policy. Barnett went to arbitration to fight the suspension. Barnett was able to prove he did not intentionally take banned supplements and is now free to fight inside the Octagon again.

Barnett has not competed since Sept. 2016. He earned a submission win over Andrei Arlovski. “The Warmaster” turns 40 in November and has lost out on almost two years of his fighting career.

While Barnett is happy to be able to compete again, he told MMAFighting.com that the process didn’t come cheap:

“The concept of USADA is not bad. And the idea of creating something that has protocol and process also, inherently these are not bad things. But if that’s the case, it has to be something that the people that are under its auspices need to do reasonably and effectively. Luckily, I had a very good connection with a prominent lawyer that could help me out. I had people that could help me through this process. But it cost me money, it cost me money to have supplements tested to show that there was a problem. It cost me money to go all the way to arbitration.”

Who would you match Josh Barnett against in his return?

Related News

Top Stories

UFC Store

Belal Muhammad Breaks Down How Dricus Du Plessis Fight Would Play Out: ‘Then I Put Him To Sleep…’

UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad continues to step up talk of a push for...

Daniel Cormier Downplays Dricus Du Plessis’ Champ-Champ Talk: ‘He Still Has Work At Middleweight’

Daniel Cormier was cageside as Dricus Du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title for...

Joe Rogan Calls For Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev Next, Says ‘Who Cares’ About Only 1 Title Defense

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan knows what he wants to see next from featherweight...

Luke Rockhold Slams Sean Strickland For ‘B*tching Out’ After Nose Break vs. Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland continues to be the recipient of criticism for...

VIDEO: UFC 312 Winner Takes Page Out Of Tai Tuivasa’s Book With Post-Fight Celebration In Sydney

Heavyweight fan favorite Tai Tuivasa may not have been able to bring out his...

Kamaru Usman Names Fight He ‘Doesn’t Like’ For Dricus Du Plessis, And It’s Not Khamzat Chimaev

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman envisions one particular contender posing a real threat...

Magomed Ankalaev: Alex Pereira ‘Will Never Be The Same’ After UFC 313 Headliner

Magomed Ankalaev is determined to make a statement when he challenges UFC Light Heavyweight...

Dana White ‘Glad’ UFC Legend Dominick Cruz ‘Finally Hung It Up’ After Latest Injury Setback

UFC CEO Dana White is pleased to see Dominick Cruz step away from the...

Dricus Du Plessis Matchmakes For Defeated Opponent Sean Strickland After UFC 312: ‘I Just Thought Of That…’

Dricus Du Plessis has a suggestion for Sean Strickland’s next fight following his loss...