TORONTO – UFC middleweight Elias Theodorou doesn’t get to choose when nerve pain strikes his body.

“It never really has a schedule, and that’s always the most upsetting thing,” he told reporters at a media day for his fight against Eryk Anders (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) at UFC 231.

Theodorou (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) uses medical marijuana to control his symptoms, but leading up to a fight, he has to stop in order to avoid a positive drug test.

Under the UFC’s anti-doping program, Theodorou is free to use marijuana in the period USADA considers out-of-competition, which is within six hours of his weigh-in and six hours after his fight.

Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound in the marijuana plant, is no longer prohibited by the UFC’s anti-doping partner. In this year’s handbook for UFC fighters under USADA, the agency warns against the side effects of the plant’s psychoactive compounds and their synthetic counterparts. 

Because marijuana can take up to one month to clear the system of a regular user, Theodorou doesn’t take any chances with a failed drug test. Instead, he deals with his symptoms.

In advance of UFC 231, which takes place Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Theodorou applied for another therapeutic-use exemption with USADA for his medical marijuana. But he was again denied.

“They never say no – they say they want more information,” Theodorou told MMAjunkie. “And unfortunately, part of that is more prescription drugs.”

Theodorou said those drugs don’t fully address his nerve pain. And the window in which he’s prevented from using medical cannabis is the time when he needs it most.

“Leading up to a fight is the hardest part of a fight, because in regards to pain management, it’s the last little part,” he said. “Obviously, with cutting weight and other things that trigger my bilateral neuropathic pain, it’s something I’ve been living with and I’ll have to continue to live with.”

A request for comment to USADA was not immediately returned.

Theodorou said he’ll give it his all against Anders, a fearsome striker and strong wrestler with seven knockout wins. But, he added, he’s fighting “in many ways…at a competitive disadvantage” given the added stress he encounters before the fight.

Theodorou indicated he’ll continue to apply for permission to use medical cannabis. Until he gets the green light, he’ll deal with the pain.

For more on the UFC 231, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.