The UFC and USADA have been partnering for years now in an effort to clean MMA up from those who use illegal substances.
A trio of former champions in former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm, former two division UFC champion Daniel Cormier and former UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo are being honored by USADA for submitting 50 flawless drug tests.
Holm, who was the first of the three to be honored, received a special edition custom letterman jacket by UFC VPs of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky and Donna Marcolini.
“It’s an honor to get this and I’m thankful that there is the test because I know that I’m facing someone who’s also clean,” Holm told MMA Junkie. “I’ve never wanted to use any kind of performance-enhancing (drugs) because it’s something I wanted to know that I know my own hard work and my will and my passion and everything is something I’ve always relied on for a victory. I feel like it always gave me more of a confidence boost going in know that I went in and did it myself and didn’t have any help. I think that’s my mentality for it.”
MMA Junkie reports that Cormier and Aldo are both expected to be honored by the UFC and USADA in the near future.
“Her performance inside the octagon is clear, she’s a legend, but I think what this shows and what all of us know internally, is that Holly Holm is as much as a legend, a role model and a leader outside of the octagon as she is in the octagon,” Novitzky said. “I’m so proud to be able to be up front and observe her career and have her be that leader and that role model for the UFC and our program. Not just to other UFC athletes, but to other MMA athletes from other promotions, other professional athletes and to young boy and girl athletes throughout the world. Holly Holm is the epitome of a leader and a role model.”
The former women’s bantamweight champion has already submitted her 51st clean drug test just before being honored by USADA and the UFC.
