Brock Lesnar (photo via ESPN)

By FCF Staff

Ordinarily, a fighter who is coming out of retirement must notify the UFC and USADA four months in advance of their fight date, but Brock Lesnar has reportedly been granted an exemption.

On Saturday, the UFC announced that Lesnar is ending his retirement and that he’ll fight at the July 9th, UFC 200 card. On Monday, Lesnar revealed that his opponent will be Mark Hunt.

According to a follow up report from Yahoo Sport’s Kevin Iole, the UFC has a clause in it’s anti-doping policies to grant an exemption for the four month, drug testing requirement, and has done so for Lesnar. The waiver can be utilized in “exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to an Athlete.”

The UFC released a statement to Yahoo outlining why it has decided to exercise this waiver.

On June 6, 2016, UFC heavyweight Brock Lesnar was registered by USADA into the UFC Anti-Doping Policy testing pool. As part of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, UFC may grant a former athlete an exemption to the four-month written notice rules in exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to an athlete. Given Lesnar last competed in UFC on December 30, 2011, long before the UFC Anti-Doping Policy went into effect, for purposes of the Anti-Doping Policy, he is being treated similarly to a new athlete coming into the organization.

“While conversations with the heavyweight have been ongoing for some time, Lesnar required permission from WWE to compete in UFC 200 and only agreed to terms and signed a bout agreement last Friday. He was therefore unable to officially start the Anti-Doping Policy process any earlier. UFC, however, did notify Lesnar in the early stages of discussions that if he were to sign with the UFC, he would be subject to all of the anti-doping rules. Lesnar and his management have now been formally educated by USADA on the policy, procedures and expectations.

Lesnar has not fought since 2011 when he was stopped by Alistair Overeem in the opening round.