Drug testing has been a part of fight sports activities for a few years, however the UFC took a a lot greater 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 medication firstly, the potential penalties have been so extreme the usage of unlawful substances dramatically modified endlessly. That will have made MMA a a lot cleaner sport general, however veteran UFC coloration commentator Joe Rogan admits he nonetheless misses the great previous days when fighters have been ready to make use of performance-enhancing medication.
Throughout a recent 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 mentioned. “They modified dramatically. Alistair Overeem’s the best instance. Alistair when he fought Brock Lesnar bought drug examined, and he was saucy as f*ck.
“When he’s flexing on stage, that’s when he’s ‘Ubereem’—260 [pounds], stable 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 mentioned, Overeem really did check optimistic for elevated ranges of testosterone forward of a scheduled heavyweight title battle in opposition to Junior dos Santos in 2012. The Nevada Athletic Fee—the governing physique that administered the drug check—refused to grant him a license for the subsequent 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 in opposition to Lesnar and misplaced his subsequent two bouts. Overeem finally labored his manner again to a title shot, however suffered a first-round knockout loss to Stipe Miocic once they met in 2016.
Rogan needs he may have seen Overeem proceed to maneuver ahead in his UFC profession with out the detrimental drug testing.
“They make him take the drug check, and he turns into a standard individual with good combating expertise,” Rogan mentioned. “I imply he wasn’t the Ubereem anymore. This destroyer.
“I might 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 top 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 accomplished independently by Fight Sports activities Anti-Doping.
Fighters are nonetheless routinely and randomly drug examined all year long, and CSAD now palms down the punishments for any use of performance-enhancing substances. That mentioned, Rogan really needs drug testing didn’t exist, particularly the place the heavyweight division is worried.
“Oh yeah, I would like enjoyable,” Rogan mentioned with fun about permitting fighters to make use of banned substances. “I don’t need to see fats heavyweights. Get the f*ck out of right here. I would like Alistair again. Get them again on the sauce.”
