Paulo Costa is furious with the UFC’s anti-doping program partner.
After he nailed 185.5 pounds on the scale Friday at UFC 278 official weigh-ins, Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) sent an expletive-filled message to the promotion’s drug testing partner, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
“F*ck USADA,” Costa said. “The guy waited in my bedroom at 7 a.m., ready to take my blood. F*ck USADA.”
Costa elaborated on his issue with USADA in a tweet shortly thereafter. According to Costa, a USADA representative showed up to take his blood three hours before the start of the weigh-in window in Salt Lake City.
“F*ck the the boss on USADA who sent their agents this morning at my sleep room 6 am to take my blood out!!!” Costa wrote. “I was cutting weight very dehydrated and they wants took my blood! F*ck those guys!!! I never been caught by USADA test I don’t need this f*ck sh*t.”
Many fighters have voiced aggravations with the inconvenience of USADA’s random drug-testing. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski recently had a similar gripe when he revealed USADA showed up to drug test him hours before his second fight vs. Max Holloway. At the time, Volkanovski was sleeping with the assistance of melatonin pills. Unable to urinate, Volkanovski had to water load until he could produce a sample.
Other notable USADA interferences include an incident with Urijah Faber, who claimed a collector showed up for a sample in the midst of the birth of a child.
UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.