Issue 105

September 2013

Former Fighters Only World MMA Awards ‘Journalist of the Year’ John Morgan reviews his opinions regarding testosterone therapy usage.

If I’m being completely honest, I’m probably as sick of writing about testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as you are of reading about the topic. But it’s not going away anytime soon – nor should it. 

The use of TRT in mixed martial arts is a complicated, controversial topic that elicits heated debate on both sides of the issue. Some contend it’s a performance-enhancing drug with no place in the sport. Others view it as a sort of medical miracle that can enrich the lives of fighters so long as the therapy is closely monitored and delivered properly.

My own experience with the TRT debate took an odd turn at the conclusion of May’s UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold event. While I certainly didn’t mean to minimize the impressiveness of Belfort’s stunning, first-round knockout win over former Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold, I also knew I hadn’t traveled 24 hours from Las Vegas to Jaragua do Sul in Brazil to simply talk improved kicking techniques. And so I asked Belfort about the role TRT is currently playing in his career.

The results were memorable, albeit fairly unpleasant, as Belfort jokingly asked for others in the room to beat me up for bothering him with such an inquiry. For the record, I didn’t feel all that uncomfortable. Fortunately, I’ve taken seven trips to Brazil for UFC events over the past two years, and I’m happy to report it’s not quite the lawless wasteland some (cough) Chael Sonnen (cough) might have you believe. I knew my wellbeing was most likely safe, but it was an unfortunate moment.

Belfort would later reach out to apologize for the incident, and we’ve had several conversations since. And just as he did in last month’s issue of Fighters Only, Belfort held little back, and it was refreshing to hear his side of the story. I must admit, it also made me rethink a bit of my stance on TRT.

The biggest issue with Belfort’s use has been a 2006 suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for the use of an anabolic steroid. Belfort still contends he was the unwitting recipient of an illegal substance he assumed was safe to take based on medical advice. But since the use of anabolic steroids can cause the body to quit producing testosterone could Belfort’s medical need for the anabolic version be due to his previous use?

I almost wonder if that even matters, to be honest. Physicians will tell you it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why someone’s testosterone is low and only that when it is, the prescribed action is TRT. 

But if administered correctly, isn’t that OK? Sure, we may be telling a former cheater that he now has the right to use synthetic testosterone to make up for his self-caused deficiencies, but should that really be a problem? After all, if the goal is simply to get everyone on the same playing field, should Belfort be required to fight at a disadvantage because of mistakes he made nearly a decade ago? 

I don’t think there’s an easy answer, to be honest. As I’ve said before, I couldn’t care less how many illegal substances Lance Armstrong took to win a bike race or how many creams and clears Barry Bonds used to double his hat size and bash home runs over a fence. But MMA, at its core, is hand-to-hand combat with two men looking to inflict damage on one another while locked inside a cage. Contestants should have the peace of mind of knowing they are competing on a level playing field.

I live in Nevada, where the NSAC in March fined boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. an incredible $900,000 after he tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight drug screen. Now I – like most, I imagine – really don’t care if a fighter tests positive for weed, but here’s the part that’s more appalling: the NSAC didn’t keep any of that money. It went to the state of Nevada’s general fund. Imagine how much testing could have been done with the paycheck.

So I’ve come to accept we’re not done with this debate anytime soon. To be honest, I’m not even sure exactly where I stand on it anymore. And while we’re focused on testosterone, are fighters moving on to human growth hormone, EPO and more? 

Sniffing out all the cheaters may indeed prove a Herculean effort. Let’s just make sure we don’t give up the fight because we’re tired of hearing about it.