Todd Stoute had a promising evening, but the good vibes didn't stick around for long.
After suffering a split-decision defeat to Marc-Andre Barriault at TKO 40, which brought his four-fight winning streak to an end, Stoute, 36, bounced back with a third-round submission win against future UFC competitor Alan Baudot at TKO 47 on April 11, 2019.
"I controlled him against the cage, leaned heavily on my Greco-Roman base, and dismantled him. The outcome says it all," Stoute told MMA Empire in an interview.
"After round two, my corner asked if I wanted to secure the victory. I said yes, and he told me to finish it immediately. I climbed back on top, took his back, dominated him, and punched him into a submission. I'd say that was one of the most technically impressive fights I've ever put on."
Weeks after the bout, Stoute said the Quebec athletic commission contacted him about detecting a trace amount—just 100 nanograms—of THC in his system. THC is the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis (marijuana).
Cannabis became legal across Canada as of October 17, 2018, the same country where Stoute's clash with Baudot took place.
"I do smoke weed, but never when a fight is approaching. I've spent ten years in MMA without touching anything illegal. I questioned the commission about the exact quantity, and they told me 100 nanograms. At that point, even the UFC and USADA only tested for levels above 150 nanograms. They didn't bother screening below that threshold," Stoute explained.
"I was honest with them—I told them I hadn't smoked anything. The only product I used was a CBD oil, which I was unaware contained THC, meant to help me relax after the weight cut. It did nothing for a three-round fight, and certainly nothing for my technical striking. 100 nanograms, according to what I've heard, is barely anything."
During the first phone conversation, Stoute said the commission informed him the typical punishment for this kind of violation was a six-month suspension.
"I responded that this isn't a violation. I didn't intentionally dope, I don't dope, and I've been competing for over a decade. This isn't steroids—it's marijuana. I respect that rules exist, but this doesn't strike me as anything serious," Stoute said.
The terms shift
According to Stoute, the commission told him that because it was a first-time infraction, they would lower the suspension to four months, along with requiring him to return his $3,000 fight purse.
Two days later, Stoute received a call for his formal hearing with the commission to verify the penalty details—only to discover the terms had changed from what he'd originally been told.
"They informed me, 'We're confiscating your $3,000 purse, you're looking at a four-month suspension, and we're converting your victory into a loss and handing the win to Alan Baudot.' I told them that wasn't part of our deal and wasn't what I was told two days prior. I asked how they could turn my fight, my finish, into a loss for 100 nanograms of weed, rather than a no-contest? If anything gets reversed, it should be a no-contest. He didn't win—he got choked out and was outclassed in every round," Stoute recalled.
"They claimed this was standard procedure for these situations, and I pushed back, saying it's not. You're not speaking to someone who's been at this for only two or three years. I know how this process works. With a decision, a split decision, there might be some justification to reverse it. But a finish? You don't flip a finish into a loss over marijuana, particularly 100 nanograms. That defies logic—that's incredibly excessive."
While Stoute didn't disagree with being penalized in any capacity, he said he would have accepted the originally-proposed suspension and repayment of his fight purse.
He said the biggest problem he had with the whole situation was having the victory removed from his record and replaced with a loss.
"The suspension isn't what upset me. Not even the $3,000—if you want that back, I'll hand it over without hesitation. But then you're taking the win too? That's excessive for something that's not even illegal anymore, something that won't even land you in jail," Stoute said.
No exit strategy
Stoute said he voiced his dissatisfaction with the overall punishment and stated he wouldn't agree to or comply with it. The commission responded that if he refused to comply and accept the terms being offered, the suspension would be extended.
"They told me if I wanted my suspension to remain four months and not escalate, then I shouldn't complain too much. They were essentially threatening my MMA career," Stoute said.
"At that moment, I wasn't under contract with Brave or any other promotion. I was sitting there wondering how I'd ever fight again if I went head-to-head with these people. I told them, 'So you're basically forcing me into this mess, telling me I won't have my livelihood if I don't follow your rules.'"
In the end, Stoute said he accepted the penalty terms and completed his four-month suspension before taking a short-notice bout with Brave CF in November.
After that fight, Stoute said he learned the commission had extended his suspension upon discovering he had competed internationally, despite the fight occurring after the initial four-month suspension period.
Consequently, Stoute said his suspension for fighting in Canada remains indefinite, and he doesn't know when or if he'll be allowed to compete in Canada again.
"They were basically claiming I didn't honor the suspension, even though it expired in November," said Stoute.
"I wasn't fighting in Toronto, or Canada, or even North America. I was fighting in India. They said I didn't 'recognize the suspension,' and have essentially banned me. I'm now competing worldwide representing a country that won't let me fight here. It's insane."
