Three Strikes and You’re Out: Dana White Says He’s Done with Nate Marquardt
The saga now simply known as “Nate-Gate,” surrounding Nate Marquardt’s removal from UFC on Versus 4 and his subsequent firing by UFC president Dana White, has not only cost him a job, but now he’s been black-balled by the organization.
With fans outpouring for Marquardt to get a second chance after he revealed the nature of the hormone replacement therapy that boosted his testosterone to unacceptable levels by athletic commission standards, White took the time to expand on why he will not be back in the UFC again.
He explained that bringing Marquardt back wouldn’t simply be a second chance, it’s more like three strikes and you’re out.
“To me this is his fourth chance; this would be a fourth chance,” White told MMAWeekly.com on Thursday. “He tested positive before, then apparently he was on suspension with New Jersey because his levels were high, then he comes into (Pittsburgh) and he doesn’t pass his medicals. Now you tell me is that fourth chance or is that a second chance? Sounds like a fourth chance to me.”
The previous positive test that White spoke about stems from a UFC fight in 2005 when, after a win over Ivan Salaverry, Marquardt tested positive for nandrolone metabolite, an anabolic steroid.
Marquardt categorically denied the charges, saying that the substance came from an over-the-counter supplement, but was suspended for five months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
White admits that Marquardt is well liked among fight fans and by everyone inside the UFC, but it doesn’t mask the fact that he did something wrong and he deserved to be punished for it.
“Nate’s a nice guy, he’s a real sweet, nice, humble guy, but the facts are the facts,” said White. “It’s easier to go after a guy like Josh Barnett, you know what I mean? He’s just callous and rude and a dick, so it’s easier when he does it to just go, you know what? (Expletive) Josh Barnett. The difference is Nate’s such a sweet, nice guy with the same results.”
White also points to the timeline for when he was notified about Marquardt’s standing with the commission that led to his eventual firing. The UFC president says that employees within Zuffa who deal with medicals were notified about Marquardt’s situation, but he was never personally involved in the dealings until two days before weigh-ins for the UFC on Versus 4 event.
“I literally didn’t know that till Thursday, but the people in my organization did. The people who handle the medicals and things like that. I was pretty upset about it when I found out about it on Thursday. If I would have known earlier, I would have made sure it was taken care of differently,” White stated.
Whether the outcry and pleads for Marquardt to be reinstated are loud or soft, White was emphatic in saying that he has fought his last fight in the UFC.
“Nate’s done,” said White. “I’m done with Nate.”
