UFC lightweight division shifts and new USADA testing rules
Charles Oliveira seeks a rematch against Justin Gaethje for the BMF and lightweight titles, while Gaethje faces a medical suspension until 2027. New USADA rules require athletes to use the ADAMS app to report daily whereabouts to prevent anti-doping violations.
Charles Oliveira demands a rematch against Justin Gaethje with both the BMF and lightweight titles on the line. He defeated Gaethje at UFC 274 in Phoenix after a .5 pound weight miss, but he lost the belt to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi via an arm-triangle choke. Oliveira won the BMF title by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 326 in Las Vegas in March, though he also lost to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in June last year. Belal Muhammad claims Oliveira avoided Abu Dhabi because he refuses to fight in enemy territory, though I find his attempt to include the White House in a three-belt fight to be a transparent grab for attention. You know the basics of the division, so focus on the chaos surrounding the title holders. Oliveira previously declined a rematch with Makhachev at UFC 283 in Brazil because he felt mentally unprepared. Makhachev currently holds a 10-fight winning streak, which includes victories over Dan Hooker at UFC 267 and Bobby Green. Oliveira’s record of 33-8-1 includes wins over Michael Chandler at UFC 262 and Dustin Poirier at UFC 269. He says the rematch does not need to be in Brazil, as it can be in Las Vegas, Japan, or any corner in the world.
Gaethje’s expensive hiatus
Justin Gaethje will not fight again in 2026 because he must recover from hand injuries. He won the lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250 by defeating Ilia Topuria, a fighter who entered the bout as a heavy favorite. Topuria’s corner stopped the fight after the fourth round because of the American’s striking. This win earned Gaethje an 180-day medical suspension for his right wrist and left knee, forcing him to remain sidelined until 2027. He earned between $1.5 million and $2.5 million in base pay plus $825,000 in bonuses for that performance, which included $425,000 for Performance of the Night and $400,000 for Fight of the Night. He already fought twice this year, starting with a win against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January to claim the interim title. His coach, Trevor Wittman, says Gaethje shifted his philosophy from being an exciting fighter to prioritizing world titles after hearing his fighter express a desire for gold. Gaethje’s victory at the White House South Lawn drew 34 million global viewers and 7 million in the US. Will Gaethje’s age and the physical toll of his two fights this year hinder his ability to defend against contenders like Arman Tsarukyan? Gaethje’s management, Ali Abdelaziz, confirms he will stay sidelined until 2027. This 38-year-old veteran has 17 career bonuses and previously lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
The testing pool mandate
The new testing pool enrollment rules implement intensified out-of-competition testing and strict whereabouts requirements. Athletes must use an app called ADAMS to inform officials where they spend each night and where they stay for one hour each day. Three failures to meet these whereabouts requirements constitute an anti-doping violation. Officials from the USADA or independent agencies like Drug Free Sport conduct these tests against the WADA list of prohibited substances. This system tracks schedules to ensure compliance with the prohibited substances list. The intensified focus on out-of-competition testing provides a much more stringent environment than previous protocols. Athletes must update their whereabouts in the system even if they miss a cut during a tournament. Andy Levinson, the executive director of policy administration for the Tour, says that everyone has been educated about the process. Registration in the testing pool means athletes must complete the whereabouts requirements or they are in the process of completing them. A 2014 WADA report noted that 231 out of 1,693 anti-doping violations involved non-analytical issues like whereabouts failures.
