Drug testing has been a part of fight sports activities for a few years, however the UFC took a a lot larger and broader step to chop down on performance-enhancing drug use by athletes after introducing the corporate’s anti-doping program in 2015.
Whereas there have been nonetheless loads of failed medicine at the beginning, the potential penalties have been so extreme the usage of unlawful substances dramatically modified without end. Which will have made MMA a a lot cleaner sport general, however veteran UFC shade commentator Joe Rogan admits he nonetheless misses the nice previous days when fighters have been ready to make use of performance-enhancing medicine.
Throughout a current episode of his podcast that includes multi-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers as his visitor, Rogan addressed how a lot the game modified after USADA was launched and fighters needed to begin toeing the road.
“USADA—when UFC introduced in USADA, all of that modified and other people’s physiques melted,” Rogan stated. “They modified dramatically. Alistair Overeem’s the best instance. Alistair when he fought Brock Lesnar obtained drug examined, and he was saucy as f*ck.
“When he’s flexing on stage, that’s when he’s ‘Ubereem’—260 [pounds], strong as f*ck, ripped and simply one of many extra elite strikers on planet Earth and Brock was f*cked.”
Overeem scored his knockout over Lesnar again at UFC 141 in 2011—just a few years previous to the UFC partnering with USADA on a extra intensive drug testing plan.
That stated, Overeem truly did take a look at constructive for elevated ranges of testosterone forward of a scheduled heavyweight title battle towards Junior dos Santos in 2012. The Nevada Athletic Fee—the governing physique that administered the drug take a look at—refused to grant him a license for the following 9 months, which successfully suspended him from the game.
When Overeem returned, he struggled to search out the identical success as he did within the battle towards Lesnar and misplaced his subsequent two bouts. Overeem ultimately labored his method again to a title shot, however suffered a first-round knockout loss to Stipe Miocic once they met in 2016.
Rogan needs he might have seen Overeem proceed to maneuver ahead in his UFC profession with out the detrimental drug testing.
“They make him take the drug take a look at, and he turns into a standard individual with good combating abilities,” Rogan stated. “I imply he wasn’t the Ubereem anymore. This destroyer.
“I’d have liked to see what an Alistair Overeem run on the sauce would have been. My god. It might have been epic. It might have been actually wild to see.”
Following the tip of the partnership with USADA, the UFC moved ahead with a brand new anti-doping program headed up by ex-FBI agent George Piro with testing executed independently by Fight Sports activities Anti-Doping.
Fighters are nonetheless routinely and randomly drug examined all year long, and CSAD now arms down the punishments for any use of performance-enhancing substances. That stated, Rogan truly needs drug testing didn’t exist, particularly the place the heavyweight division is anxious.
“Oh yeah, I would like enjoyable,” Rogan stated with amusing about permitting fighters to make use of banned substances. “I don’t wish to see fats heavyweights. Get the f*ck out of right here. I would like Alistair again. Get them again on the sauce.”
