Mirko Cro Cop is not a fan of the two-year long suspension handed to him by USADA.
Cro Cop spoke with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour and expressed his frustration with the United States Anti-Doping Agency for suspending him for two years, despite never failing a drug test.
"The whole thing that happened with USADA, it just isn't supposed to happen," Cro Cop said. "It just isn't supposed to happen. I could be warned. I could be, at the end of the day, suspended a few months. Six months, whatever. But when your test comes completely negative and you suspend that person for two years, the same sentence like some other fighters who was caught after the fight, so they did the fight under doping, under prohibited substances that was found in their body. And they get the same suspension? That isn't justice."
Cro Cop was supposed to face Anthony Hamilton at UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Alves last year. Cro Cop pulled out of that bout due to a shoulder injury and it was announced shortly after that Cro Cop was facing a UFC anti-doping policy violation. Cro Cop admitted to USADA that he was using human growth hormone, a banned substance, to treat his shoulder injury in an effort to make the fight. The Croatian then retired shortly after.
He explains his reasoning saying guys like Brock Lesnar, who tested positive in the buildup to UFC 200, got their money, fought and then guys like Cro Cop would get the same sentence as guys that do test positive.
"They were caught after the fight," Cro Cop said. "So they put the money in their pocket, they fought, they earned the money and they get the same sentence like I did. It's not fair. But let's not talk about it anymore. I just had to mention it. From my point of view, that is not justice."
After coming out of retirement, Cro Cop signed with Rizin Fighting Federation and will compete in its openweight grand prix tournament beginning in September. Thanks to MMAfighting.com for transcribing the interview.
