In anticipation of tomorrow's fight I want to look at the all concerning issue of PED's in MMA. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) earlier this year ended its Testosterone Use Exemptions, which was a heavily monitoring of fighters who had low testosterone and wanted to restore their levels. An ESPN article revealed the flaws of the system put in place as it was discovered that any doctor could right a recommendation that said a fighter had low testosterone and they could get a TUE. The process itself divided the sports community, both the Major League Baseball and the National Football League allowed a small number of TUEs in the prior year.

This process divided many fans.  Many considered Testosterone Replacement Therapy as a way to cheat the system and creating an unlevel playing field for fighters coming up and the subsequent generation.  In addition critics argued that TRT would encourage the use and abuse of PEDs.  On the other hand, supporters argued that TRT allowed fighters to prolongue their careers as well as leveling the playing field for aging men whose bodies began to show their age, which would threaten their careers.  Despite your opinion on the pros and cons, the NSAC banned all use of testosterone.  And they have ramped  up random testing.  As one might remember, Alistair Overeem who had been suspected of abusing PEDs for years tested with an abnormal testerone ratio, and then there was Thiago Silva, who administered non-human urine to the Athletic Commission.

Dan Henderson, a legend in both Pride, F.C. and the UFC, criticized this decision by stating that the decision to ban TUEs would drive PED usage underground.  Not to mention those who were on it like Henderson had to take some time off as their bodies had to relearn how to naturally produce testosterone.  Vitor Belfort a user of TRT was tearing through the rankings and was challenging Chris Weidman, told the UFC that he wanted time off to find out if he could fight without the help.  At 36 years old Belfort is beginning to enter the twilight of his career, but he looks even more impressive than he did with his debut in 1997 at 19 years old.

Now both Wanderlei Silva who has tested positive and Chael Sonnen have both been pulled from their July bouts.  Wanderlei for refusing to cooperate with officials, and Sonnen for elevated levels.  The benefits of PEDs are immense in this sport, but when you are payed to legally assault someone who assumes you both trained hard, but secretly you have an advantage is just not fair.  However, what can be done to remedy the problem?  More stringent testing? Promoters complain that these tests can be extremely costly to perform.  The solution would be to perform random drug testing in the course of the year to make sure that fighters are not cycling off, but this dilemma is nothing new as it is human to try and obtain every advantage to win especially when fight purses and bonuses are on the line.