Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis is in the process of suing the United States Anti-Doping Agency for an injury he claims he suffered while providing the agency a urine sample immediately prior to a fight against Nate Diaz in August 2019.
According to Pettis, USADA, which oversees the UFC’s year-round anti-doping program, requested a urine sample prior to Pettis’ fight against Diaz at UFC 241 in Anaheim. Pettis says he submitted the test, but suffered a laceration on his right hand while screwing on top of a glass collection bottle.
Pettis, 32, says the UFC doctors closed the cut on his hand with glue, and he still managed to fight. Pettis said his longtime coach, Duke Roufus, advised him to pull out of the bout entirely. Pettis (22-9) lost a unanimous decision.
Pettis’s manager, Abe Kawa, told ESPN they have retained noted anti-doping attorney Howard Jacobs, who has defended UFC star Jon Jones in a USADA anti-doping case, and intends to file a lawsuit this week.
“We are absolutely filing a lawsuit,” Kawa said. “We’ll be naming USADA, the UFC and the manufacturer of the bottle that Anthony cut himself on.”
USADA representatives declined to comment at this time, when reached by ESPN.
Pettis, of Milwaukee, is scheduled to face Diego Ferreira at UFC 246 Saturday in Las Vegas. It will mark his first appearance since losing to Diaz last August.