Veteran UFC middleweight Brad Tavares earned a special jacket for 50 clean drug tests as he prepares for a potential record-breaking fight at UFC Vegas 114. The event features a featherweight main bout between Josh Emmett and Kevin Vallejos on March 14, 2026, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Media day interviews highlighted preparations for the card.
UFC Vegas 114, also known as UFC Fight Night 269, is set for Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the entire card streaming on Paramount+. The main event pits featherweight contenders Josh Emmett against Kevin Vallejos, with Emmett expressing concern that the UFC is advancing Vallejos too quickly in his career.
On the undercard, 27-fight veteran Brad Tavares faces Eryk Anders in a middleweight bout. Tavares, who debuted in the UFC in 2010, received his custom "50 clean tests" jacket from Senior Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky. This recognizes Tavares' consistent compliance with anti-doping protocols over nearly 16 years, during which his biological samples showed stable levels, reducing the need for frequent testing.
Novitzky commented, "Brad is one of the least surprising athletes to receive this accolade. This is Brad’s 16th year in the UFC, so he’s been here for the entire existence of the anti-doping program. If you start doing the math, that’s close to 4,000 consecutive days where he’s been responsible and accountable."
Tavares reflected, "I’ve always wondered why it took me so long to get this 50-tests jacket. I remember in the beginning they would show up to my house every week and I was like, ‘Bro, is this what life is going to be like now?’ But he was telling me they looked at my overall samples and my levels have stayed so consistent that they had no reason to overtest me."
A victory over Anders would give Tavares 17 UFC middleweight wins, surpassing Michael Bisping's record of 16. The prelims include a flyweight matchup where Charles Johnson steps in on short notice against Bruno "Bulldog" Silva.
Media day took place on Wednesday, featuring interviews with key fighters including Emmett, Vallejos, Tavares, Silva, and Johnson.
