Novitzky: UFC fighters ignoring IV ban could face 2-year suspension

Note to any UFC fighters looking to circumvent the upcoming IV ban following a tough weight cut: don't.

With fighters no longer able to rehydrate intravenously starting at the beginning of October, a few - including featherweight champion Jose Aldo - have said they're planning to completely ignore the rule.

Fighters should ignore the IV ban at their own peril, according to UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky.

"The risk versus reward under this program, I mean if someone is found out to have taken an IV you're facing a potential two-year ban, which is a long time in the UFC and in MMA," Novitzky told Ariel Helwani on this week's edition of The MMA Hour, according to MMAFighting.com's Marc Raimondi. "Hopefully all those factors that are put forth, everyone will follow the rules."

The UFC hooked up with the USADA to create a much more stringent drug testing policy in light of the series of high-profile failures that plagued the promotion in recent months. The IV ban is just part of the new program and fighters will only be able to rehydrate via IV if they need to be hospitalized.

"It is something that (fighters) are going to have to deal with," Novitzky said. "Whether it means walking around when fights aren't scheduled a little closer to that fight weight, whether it means, which hopefully it does, being educated through us and through others on how to properly orally rehydrate. The studies and science show that as long as the dehydration isn't too severe oral rehydration is actually better for you. It's safer for you. Studies show that you'll feel like exercise is a little bit easier and you're exerting less if you orally hydrate."