UFC PED Presser: 2-4 Year Bans For Failed Drug Tests, Major New Policies, UFC Spending Millions

The UFC has announced a press event for today at 1 PM eastern time to discuss the company's issue with drugs and PED's. Wrestling Inc will provide you with full coverage of the press conference as it unfolds. You can also watch for yourself in the window above.

- Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White and Lawrence Epstein open the press conference with Fertitta leading the way.

- Fertitta reads a statement saying it's been a challenging few weeks with high profile drug test failures, but says it's due to their stricter policies. The test failures have caused the company to take a deeper look at PED issues. He then toots the UFC's horn about how they've funded companies and drug tests, and other things related to fighter safety.

- Fertitta says the sport needs a more robust drug testing system.

- Dana White says Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine out of competition at the beginning of December. Recreational drugs are not supposed to be tested for out of competition. After his fight he tested negative for any drugs or PED's. White has his typical tone as he tells listeners that Jones was fined $25,000, which was donated to children who had lives impacted by drug use. He says people who get punished for marijuana and recreational drug use are failing in-competition instead of out of competition like Jones.

- White says that Anderson Silva had a test on January 9th out of competition by a lab in Salt Lake City. The NSAC didn't get the test back until February 3rd, and the UFC didn't find out until 10 am that morning.

- White says the UFC and the athletic commission would never cover up a drug test failure in order to put on a fight. He notes that Yahoo interviewed the lab in question about that.

- Silva failed a post-fight test and will go before the NSAC for his punishment.

- Hector Lombard failed a UFC 182 post fight drug test. As soon as UFC found out, they pulled him from his planned bout with Rory MacDonald. He says the UFC only announces drug test failures if they're self regulating. The Nevada State Athletic Commission was handling this, which is why there was no announcement.

- Fertitta fires off some stats, saying there was a 26.3% out of competition failure rate, and that is alarming.

- Fertitta wants all fighters tested in-competition, and will administer between 900 and 1000 tests annually. All championship and main event fighters will be subject to enhanced testing starting on July 1. He says there will still be testing between now and then, but they're going to work with a third party.

- Fighters will be subject to WADA testing. Fertitta says the UFC is willing to commit millions of dollars to in and out of competition testing. He also says they advocate harsher penalties and fines for offenders. He says they'd support WADA's four year ban for first-time offenders.

- Epstein says this is a unique situation and can't be compared to other sports, because teams have their athletes all in one city. The UFC has fighters in 45 countries, so it's something they have to figure out.

- Yahoo's Kevin Iole says that fighters can beat tests when they know it's coming. He asks if they'll be testing before camps. Fertitta says that testing will take place 12-14 weeks before the fight.

- Epstein wants to get the athletic commissions to adopt these harsher punishments. They want to know that when they hand down a punishment that it's respected by every athletic commission.

- Epstein says the UFC isn't in the drug testing business, they're in the sports media business. They're getting a third party to handle all of the testing issues that way there's no conflict of interest.

- It's worth adding that the UFC roster is being subjected to drug tests, uniforms, possible 2-4 year bans, exclusive deals and insurance but are still listed as independent contractors.

- "It's going to get worse before it gets better."- Lorenzo Fertitta

- In response to Joe Rogan saying there is a steroid epidemic, Dana White says there isn't a PED epidemic, but there's a problem. When a guy like Anderson Silva gets caught, it sends a message.

- White and Fertitta said they're bound to lose a lot of main events and title fights. Fertitta says matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby will have to get more creative. '

- Dana White says they're going to move a lot faster than baseball. He says PED's in the cage are dangerous and if you have to use them, you don't belong in the UFC.

- Dana White says he didn't imply that the UFC would be ditching out of competition testing in December, but he did. His specific quote was "Our legal department screwed that whole thing up. We've got no business handling the regulation."

- Fertitta says that if champions test positive, they'll be stripped of the title if their on a two to four year ban.

- Epstein says he's talked to athletic commissions around the world about whether they would accept outside drug tests and suspensions and there are some legal issues involved. He says it may take time, but he thinks he can get them to honor those suspensions and tests.

- The testing will involve both blood and urine. The fighters will have to check in and let the companies know where they are.

- Dana White says the sport will be a better and just as exciting without PED's. He says you either have the ability to fight or you don't.

- Fertitta says they've kept their broadcasters and sponsors in the loop about their plans. He says they've identified that there is a problem.

- Lorenzo Fertitta says that if the NSAC wants to test every single fight on UFC 189, they can. He said he would encourage it.

- Several fighters have reached out and said that they consider this a great move and are happy about the move. Fertitta singles out Chris Weidman and says he is really excited about the testing. Dana White said that Robbie Lawler offered to undergo any testing necessary to fight Georges St-Pierre if he would come back.

- There are a lot of variables that are going to prevent them from setting a budget for this initially. Tests, tracking down fighters, and judiciary systems after failures make it too unpredictable. Fertitta said it will be millions of dollars and they're prepared to pay for it all. After a couple of years they'll be able to budget it based on history.

- Dana White thanks everyone for coming and the press conference comes to a close.