WHO WANTS SOME JUICE?

     Sorry wrong kind of juice, but I do got a treat I think you'll enjoy at the end of this piece if you read all the way through.  The subject at hand today is anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs that have taken a toll on some of the top mixed martial artists of today.  We'll look at why fighters take them, and some earlier pictures in their careers as well as current pictures so you can make some judgments yourself.  The enforcement on PEDs is shaky at best and I believe it's a world of trouble and needs to be addressed properly soon.

     The problem can be traced to the beginning of any fighters career.  Drug testing in amateur  mma is damn near non existent.  You are required through blood tests to prove you don't have specific STD's and that's that.  To progress in the sport, it's fairly simple, you just perform well, and win.  Keep these things up and you can work your way up to bigger paydays and bigger promotions.  Now the easiest way to determine a clear advantage is take some kind of PED because you know the same promotion that has to share sweaty shin pads between each fight (true, and disgusting) damn sure isn't going to fork out more money for drug screening.  The goal of small promotions is to make as much money as possible before their business eventually burns out.  I'm not saying that everybody takes advantage of this and this is how they start their stellar careers, but I am definitely saying that a ton of usage goes on in our hometown promotions, and those habits can be hard to kick as you climb the ladder and the competition gets stiffer.  However instead of bashing fighters for the shortcomings of small world mma (and if you want to get into it i'll explain why it is big world mma's fault), I will instead show the usage that takes place now in the biggest organizations in the world.  Here are some fighters that have had allegations, failed drug tests, and general rumors about steroids.  You can make your own judgments.

                                      
                                    SAY IT AIN'T SO

     Chael Sonnen showed he had mouth skills that could hush the world leading up to his title challenge at UFC 117 versus Anderson Silva.  He then had many of us completely shocked and captivated with his performance against the best fighter on the planet for 23 out of 25 minutes.  Even after the loss, a rematch was promised, and immediate anticipation sunk in again.  Then the news surfaced, Chael had failed a drug test due to elevated testosterone levels well out of the normal range.  He was then suspended for nearly a year until September of 2011.  Chael would later plea he had been diagnosed with hypogonadism which allowed him to take 2 shots of testosterone a week.  The commission then lowered this suspension to last only til March, but still be enforced due to the fact Sonnen neglected to tell anyone of his condition.


     I'm under the impression that Sonnen knew what he was doing and was doing so to his advantage.  It has also been documented that the levels in his blood exceeded the levels needed for his condition.  Make your own assumptions, but this has been a major disappointment for me as Sonnen was a guy I loved to hate, but now I just hate, and trust me, there is a difference.

                                       

                         JOSH YOU CANT FAKE THIS BARNETT

     Perhaps the biggest name in any mma steroid scandal conversation is the baby face assassin.  He is best known for dethroning UFCs first golden boy Randy Couture back in 2002 for the UFC heavyweight crown.  Later the same year Josh was stripped of the title for testing positive for 3 anabolic agents.  Josh denied ever having used steroids.  Later in his career, and what most would consider the peak of it, Josh was offered a title shot against Fedor, the number 1 ranked heavyweight and then ranked number 1 pound for pound fighter on the planet.  Josh himself was ranked the 2nd best heavyweight in the world, and the stage was set for Affliction trilogy to host the bout.  10 days before the event it was announced Josh had tested positive for steroid use for the second time in his career.  The event was canceled, and the promising Affliction banner never hosted another event.  Josh requested a re-test and failed that one as just as well.  Afterwards Josh appealed the decision to suspend his license but the trial has been delayed 4 times.  The first two times were because his lawyers requested more time, the third time his lawyer couldn't make it, and the 4th time Josh didn't show up because he wasn't aware he had to be there, so he said.  Josh is currently 26-5, hasn't lost in his past 6 fights, is still a top heavyweight, and is scheduled to face Brett Rogers on April 9th.

     I'm not positive that Affliction would have stayed afloat for long, but I believe the actions of Josh Barnett brought their downfall swiftly.  Affliction was giving us what we needed in mma, with high level competition under another promotion.  Just goes to show how the actions of one can effect the lives of many as fighters were left with broken contracts and fights were canceled and many people out of jobs.  Josh is an amazing athlete and I'm sure he will always be a force, but how much of it was truly him?

                                                YOU TELL ME

     The next two fighters have never been caught with any kind of PED but have showed vast improvement in their speed and size over the years, and have raised questions and rumors as to whether they juice or not.  I'll provide the visual, you make your own choice.

   DEMOLITION MAN, UBEREEM, ALISTAR OVEREEM

                                     CHRIS THE CRIPPLER LEBEN

     Of course it's very possible both these fighters and many more have bulked up and progressed only on hard work, but I'm just showing what has raised some eyebrows.  Feel free to leave an opponion if you think it's out of line to say these fighters have juiced.

           July 7th, 2007 lightweight championship steroid bout

     Hermes Franca, after begging(literally) for a title shot from his last fight, was set up to face the lightweight champion Sean 'the muscle shark' Sherk.  Both fighters had very impressive resumes, and the fight was a competitive, but decisive one that went to a 5 round decision.  Sherk was the victor, but they were both ultimately losers as well as the fans, as it would come out later that both fighters tested positive for anabolic steroids.  While both fighters used two seperate types, both were suspended for 1 year.  Sherk was able to get his suspension reduced to 6 months via apeal, and has gone 2-2 in the division since.  Hermes on the other and has went 1-5-1 since the suspension.

                                                    YOUR CALL

     Great phenoms don't come along too often but when they do, you sort of drool and marvel at their resumes, and Shane Carwins is certainly no exception.  Some quick hits prior to the Lesnar fight shall we?  Carwin was 12-0.  4-0 in the UFC. All finishes, 8 knockouts, 4 submissions.  Everyfight had something in common, they all ended in the first round.  In fact before his 12th fight against Mir (3:48), his longest fight lasted 2 minutes and 11 seconds and by the way, that was his first fight.  Against Lesnar in the first round he had the fight completely dominated and had Lesnar hurt very badly and referee Josh Rosenthal was stated saying he was very close to stopping the fight.  Carwin went on to get caught in a head and arm triangle choke in the second round, but that does not discredit his career.  What might discredit his career however is some news that came shortly after the bout. 



     There was a sentencing on August 13, 2010 of J. Michael Bennett for his illegal distribution of anabolic steroids.  A list of 22 professional athletes was given who had received the drug from him, and Carwins name was on the list.  It is to be noted that Carwin has never tested positive for usage of any illegal substance in his 5 year career.  Carwins camp and management as well as Dana white have declined comment on the situation.  No action has been taken as far as his mma career though as he has not been proven to have broken any rules.


     Like I said this one is totally your call.  Do you feel that he has found a way to mask the drugs, or has taken them at precise times where they may have not come up in screening?  Or do you feel he is innocent until proven guilty, and think his amazing career has been all hard work and execution?  Take strongly into consideration that if he is indeed guilty of drug usage and the only way it came up was through the opposite end getting caught, then how many of our other loved fighters with immaculate careers are purchasing, using, and masking drugs that we will never be the wiser?



                                           Final Thoughts, then a treat.

     Steroid use has been a major issue in every athletic department especially over the last two decades.  It tarnishes legacies, record books, companies integrity, fans respect, and any feeling of true self accomplishment.  The issue at hand is that people will continue to use in mixed martial arts, especially at the lower levels, because they can, and it will get them ahead.  In the long run though everybody loses for their actions.  The most we can do as fans is sit back and see it unfold because I believe this is only the surface.  I do believe that every states athletic commissions will start to crack down on their screenings eventually to make this a pure sport.  Until they we can only do our best to pick the true fighters from the phonies.   Oh yea, and here now is GSPimp...