However, the issue that arises are the causes of this decline of free testosterone in the body. Is this just a natural price of aging, a history of past abuse, or a consequence of the repeated head trauma a fighter experiences. The actual abuse of TRT is not really at issue because state athletic commissions are highly monitoring the issue. Now that Vitor Belfort has declared that he will be looking for a Testosterone Use Exemption in Nevada when he fights Chris Weidman for the title, this comes into question again. Vitor has tested positive for testosterone in the past. He was popped for steroids after his fight in 2006 with Dan Henderson, which was the wild wild west of MMA and their was very little regulation. His past couple fights have been in Brazil and he has won them all in a devastating fashion. Which can be legitimated by his training and his work with nutritionist Mike Dolce, but can it also be attributed to this Testosterone treatment. The images about seem to dictate a story of suspicion. One was taken before his fight with Anderson Silva and the other before his last fight with Luke Ruckhold. I cannot speak definitively as this is conjecture and opinion. One thing is certain Vitor has had an amazing career that has almost spanned 17 years since his arrival to the sport when he won the UFC's heavyweight tournament in 1997 and he has endured both several adversities, including personal ones. Not many fighters can say that they have done that.
I will try to have another post before UFC 169. So stay tuned.
