Whenever the UFC and its anti-doping agencies make headlines together, controversy seems inevitable. Historically, the promotion has made major news with star fighters like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. This time, however, the situation has sparked what many are calling a full-blown conspiracy. Reports reveal that the UFC’s updated drug-testing program is still testing Sheldon Westcott, even though he has been inactive since 2016.

The Canadian welterweight remains under the watch of the UFC’s current anti-doping partner, Drug Free Sport International, which has raised eyebrows across the global MMA community. Sheldon Westcott originally competed on The Ultimate Fighter in 2014, eventually reaching the finals against Elias Theodorou in April 2016. In round two, Theodorou’s strikes ended the Canadian star’s fight decisively. After that, in his next two outings, Westcott went 1-1 before vanishing from the MMA scene.

Westcott had two scheduled fights in 2017, both of which the UFC canceled. Since then, he has not competed professionally. Naturally, fans now question why the UFC tested Sheldon Westcott this year despite nearly a decade of inactivity in MMA. Shockingly, the 41-year-old still identifies himself as a “UFC welterweight” on Instagram, possibly implying he remains connected to Dana White & Co.

The controversy was first flagged by MMA Mania and later picked up by the Menace MMA Instagram page, which questioned why the UFC continues to test Sheldon Westcott at its own expense. This isn’t the first time Westcott has appeared in the UFC’s testing program. In 2023, Aaron Bronsteter reported that Tom Aspinall submitted the same number of samples as Westcott, showing that the Canadian welterweight has undergone consistent testing despite being inactive.

Reactions surface over Sheldon Westcott still being tested by UFC after prolonged inactivity

The UFC’s anti-doping policies have always drawn attention, yet many incidents, like the recent case involving Sheldon Westcott, often fly under the radar. In December 2023, Aaron Bronsteter published a list of the most-tested UFC fighters, highlighting big names such as Paulo Costa and Jon Jones, and notably including Sheldon Westcott further in the X threads.

Meanwhile, one fan reacted on Instagram, criticizing the UFC: “So they can say hey look everyone, we tested 200 people this year. Yet none of them fought.” On the other hand, another fan looked at Sheldon Westcott’s situation differently, calling it a metrics issue: “Bean counter is chasing metrics. Next question lol.”

Similarly, the UFC had a situation back in 2023 with Ronda Rousey’s husband, Travis Browne, who had not fought since 2017, yet still submitted more samples during the program’s lifetime than the seven active champions at that time. This shows that these types of testing anomalies have occurred before.

Another fan suggested three possible reasons why Sheldon Westcott continues to be tested by the anti-doping agency, “3 reasons: paperwork error, he’s making a comeback on TUF or he’s part of an investigation into someone else and they are using his test as a ‘control’. Most likely it’s the first one.” Still, the likelihood of a fighter returning after nearly a decade of inactivity at age 41 is extremely low.

Westcott holds a 9-3-1 record in MMA, having built his reputation on the regional circuit before joining the UFC. Interestingly, one fan speculated on his future, commenting, “Possibly taking a role with the organisation and needed to pass a drug test to be hired.”

Despite all this, questions remain about why Dana White & Co. continue to keep Sheldon Westcott on the UFC roster. However, one fan tried to shut down the controversy, saying, “Maybe because the UFC is planning to feed him to a prospect? It’s not that hard to use your brain guys.”

The situation has since evolved into a full-blown conspiracy, with fans and the MMA community wondering why the UFC is testing Sheldon Westcott now, a decade after his last fight. Many find it hard to believe that the UFC would simply overlook one of their former welterweight stars.