B.J. Penn enrolls with VADA for UFC 152 bout against Rory MacDonald, subject to 8 weeks of random testing

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

B.J. Penn will work with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association ahead of his UFC 152 bout with Rory MacDonald this September. Though he had some reservations with the program's need to release drug testing results immediately, he has ultimately decided to enroll in the program.

For eight weeks leading into the Sept. 22 bout in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Penn will be subject to random blood and urine testing. Results of those tests will be released to the Association of Boxing Commissions, Ontario's sanctioning body, and the UFC.

Penn returns to action for the first time since his October 2011 loss to Nick Diaz, after which he revealed he'd likely walk away from the sport. He wavered on that retirement talk earlier this year, ultimately accepting a fight with MacDonald

Penick's Analysis: Penn's just the first fighter to sign up with VADA in the UFC, but he's not the only one who has openly discussed it. Now that he's opened the door, expect Roy Nelson and others to join him. Of course, should any failed test happen as a result of this program, his fight with MacDonald would ultimately be scrapped, but he maintains he's a clean fighter and wants to prove it with these random tests. We'll see how this program works in the context of the UFC, at least for this one fight.

[B.J. Penn art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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