Are 6 month suspensions jokes?

[iced**]

So I've been thinking, do 6 month suspensions even mean anything? Especially inside the UFC? I mean when NSAC or CSAC issue a suspension like that is it basically just a slap on the wrist? I mean 90% of the time most UFC fighters don't even have a fight materialize within 6 months of their last fight. Is it just a mundane warning saying don't do that again?

 

[Beversoll]

So I've been thinking, do 6 month suspensions even mean anything? Especially inside the UFC? I mean when NSAC or CSAC issue a suspension like that is it basically just a slap on the wrist? I mean 90% of the time most UFC fighters don't even have a fight materialize within 6 months of their last fight. Is it just a mundane warning saying don't do that again?

I would agree, although a few fighters have come back and fought within a few months of their previous fights. Maybe it's more of a "shame" game than an actual suspension.

 

[AusMMAfan]

I would agree, although a few fighters have come back and fought within a few months of their previous fights. Maybe it's more of a "shame" game than an actual suspension.

You're 100% right.

12 months is legit. 6 months is a joke.

 

[kingcillo24]

starting pitchers get 5 game suspensions

Their start only gets moved back one day.

 

[AmericanMMA]

It's more of a warning than a joke. If they get caught again they get a full year, so I wouldn't call it a joke. There should be harsher penalties for cheatIng tho. 6 months is not enough.

 

[Chernabog]

I think it's more to show that they have a penalty for fighters who break the rules without hurting the industry.

 

[riddleofsteel]

I would agree, although a few fighters have come back and fought within a few months of their previous fights. Maybe it's more of a "shame" game than an actual suspension.

^^^This. Over the past 4-5 years it sure seems as if not many UFC fighters are getting more than 2 fights a year. If the sanctioning bodies really wanted to add teeth to 6 month suspensions the fines would increase (maybe even fine the promoter in order for them to take it more seriously) and put a training with a team ban for half the suspension time.

 

[TFanatic]

6 months seems to be the norm for first time offenses like weed. Roids tend to at least go for 9 months.

 

[Chas]

So I've been thinking, do 6 month suspensions even mean anything? Especially inside the UFC? I mean when NSAC or CSAC issue a suspension like that is it basically just a slap on the wrist? I mean 90% of the time most UFC fighters don't even have a fight materialize within 6 months of their last fight. Is it just a mundane warning saying don't do that again?

90% of the time Sherdoggers pull stats completely out of their asses. I chose a random UFC event (UFC 134), and 14 out of 24 fighters on the card did not have a fight within 6 months of that card. Majority, yes, but 90 percent? At least TRY to sound plausible! Of course, I only checked one card at random, so feel free to prove me wrong. I'm 90% certain that i did more research on that stat that you did, though.

Now, on topic:

What's wrong with a 6 month suspension? Think of it like a one-game suspension in football. You don't have to completely derail someone's career to adequately punish them.

Overeem fans/nuthuggers will tell you that he never actually got caught with a banned substance in his body, so losing one fight probably seems right to them.

 

[Banana Man]

yea 6 month suspension is nothing lmao, i would just spend all that time training as usual

 

[Mavant]

My thought is not to punish MMA fighters more than any other sport...even if the punishment doesn't have "teeth."

 

[AusMMAfan]

90% of the time Sherdoggers pull stats completely out of their asses. I chose a random UFC event (UFC 134), and 14 out of 24 fighters on the card did not have a fight within 6 months of that card. Majority, yes, but 90 percent? At least TRY to sound plausible! Of course, I only checked one card at random, so feel free to prove me wrong. I'm 90% certain that i did more research on that stat that you did, though.

 

[Snakesolidsnake]

It only hurts the small time fighters who fight more frequently. That suspension doesn't mean anything to someone who only fights twice a year.

 

[corrupted]

Standard time between fights for some

 

[Chas]

Mad? It's Sherdog...

By the way, did the world end over there yet?

 

[Jawth]

A six month suspension is barely a punishment at all, but I'm guessing the guys that get that punishment are first time offenders who also admit to the usage and make a deal instead of trying to fight it like Overeem, Sonnen, and Diaz did.

Some guys fight three or four times a year but the majority of the upper tier only seem to fight twice or sometimes even once a year.

If it's something like pot or Xanax than I think even six months is too much. PEDs should be a year minimum for a first time offender and two years every time after that.

 

[Jawth]

My thought is not to punish MMA fighters more than any other sport...even if the punishment doesn't have "teeth."

There's a big difference between juicing to win a race or score more points and juicing to help you beat the hell out of another person.

 

[jk7707]

^^^This. Over the past 4-5 years it sure seems as if not many UFC fighters are getting more than 2 fights a year. If the sanctioning bodies really wanted to add teeth to 6 month suspensions the fines would increase (maybe even fine the promoter in order for them to take it more seriously) and put a training with a team ban for half the suspension time.

I agree. Unless the consequences strike fear into the person who is cheating there really isn't any reason for them to stop.

 

[BROWNPRIDE]

its a slap on the wrist

 

[riddleofsteel]

My thought is not to punish MMA fighters more than any other sport...even if the punishment doesn't have "teeth."

Team sports usually suspend athletes for a specific number of games/events and since they have a set schedule the suspension can have a big impact compared to mma & boxing suspensions.
Most other individual sports follow the IOC rules which are much tougher, generally a 1 or 2 year suspension.