Bellator 164 fighters get out-of-competition drug testing ahead of Israel event

Tests for performance-enhancers and drugs of abuse have come back negative for three top fighters at Bellator 164, MMAjunkie has confirmed.

Former champion Douglas Lima, Scott Cleve and Noad Lahat were among those who tested clean for the event, which takes place Nov. 10 at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The event’s main card airs on Spike following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Welterweight champ Andrey Koreshkov (19-1 MMA, 10-1 BMMA), who attempts his second title defense when he takes on Lima (27-6 MMA, 9-2 BMMA), submitted a urine sample on Wednesday, and test results are pending, according to the Mohegan Department of Athletic Regulation (MDAR).

The MDAR tested the fighters as part of an ongoing working agreement with Spike for international events. Because there is no formal athletic commission in Israel, Bellator is funding additional testing, which is carried out by Mohegan chief and Association of Boxing Commissions President Michael Mazzulli.

Koreshkov and Lima were already licensed by Mohegan and thus subject to out-of-competition testing, but co-headliners Cleve (15-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) and Lahat (9-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) were granted licenses for the process.

Mazzulli said further testing is at his discretion and could include other fighters on upcoming Bellator events, both domestic and international.

In July Mazzulli conducted pre- and post-fight drug testing for Bellator 158 at The O2 in London. No positive tests were reported.

Despite the extra testing, Bellator President Scott Coker told MMAjunkie he is skeptical of hiring a third-party firm to oversee a year-round anti-doping program like the UFC did with USADA. He instead left the job to state regulators. The MDAR operates as part of the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, a federally recognized Native American tribe and sovereign tribal nation.

For more on Bellator 164, check out the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.