There’s a big discussion surrounding PEDs in BJJ currently. With 5 athletes recently suspended and a rumored 6th behind them, there are even some people that argue that the IBJJF shouldn’t be testing for PEDs at all.
Not to mention that ADCC is becoming more prestigious and even more determined to basically not police this type of behavior at all.
Just this past week, a high profile competitor proved his natural status after a publicized beef with Gordon Ryan. Ryan is, one of the rare, BJJ competitors who is relatively open about his PED use and even tried to pass it off as less of a rule infraction than greasing.
During a recent podcast episode Joe Rogan had an interesting discussion with UFC star Jorge Masvidal regarding PED use in MMA and especially as to how it pertained to Vitor Belfort.
Who is Vitor Belfort?
Vitor Belfort is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, with a record of 26 wins and 14 losses in his MMA career. Belfort’s father is French-Brazilian, while his mother is Greek-Brazilian.
He received his black belt at 17 from Carlson Gracie who even offered to adopt Belfort. As per ESPN:
Belfort is tied for the most knockouts in UFC history, with a total of 12. He made his debut for the company at UFC 12 in 1997 and won his first two outings.
His first run with Dana White saw him go 5-1, with his only loss coming to Randy Couture, a UFC Hall of Famer. He then moved to Japan’s PRIDE Championships, where he had four successive wins, following a points loss to Kazushi Sakuraba.
Belfort had three runs with the UFC and his second stint proved to be his most successful. He captured the light-heavyweight title by defeating Couture in a bout that took place just weeks after his sister’s disappearance in 2004.
Belfort’s career ended with a knockout loss to Lyoto Machida in his final octagon outing at UFC 244. He finished his third run with the UFC with a record of 8-6, having been knocked out four times in his last five.
He was a user of TRT via the USADA therapeutic use exemption, while it was allowed. With the outlawing of TRT, he had no choice but to retire from the UFC. He’s since refocused on boxing and is rumored to be back on TRT.
What did Joe Rogan tell Masvidal about PEDs in MMA?
“But you’re also aware that there’s a reality of just your biological limits.” – Rogan told Masvidal.
Masvidal agreed: “Yeah, and I mean it’s gonna happen to all of us . You know, everybody maybe we maybe have some Randy Couture who was fine to what, 44 ,45. That was crazy.”
Joe Rogan pointed out: “That was pre USADA, a little bit different.
“Listen f***ing Vitor changed his whole f**king world. When TRT was in, all the sudden Vitor was the – I think TRT Vitor was one of the greatest fighters of all time.”
Masvidal concurred: “Most dangerous.”
With Joe adding: “He was so confident.
Masvidal went on to add: “He turns into like a mutant when there’s… like a mutant. Certain things involved in his body”
Rogan added: “Pharmacological intervention. Lot of s**t gets going.”
“I kind of wish they’d bring it back. I really do because there’s something about the veterans. They have the mind. Like that was the thing with V Tor they had this Wealth of (experience).”
Interestingly, Rogan’s familiarity with Belfort dates back to 1997:
“I mean I first saw a Vitor fight in 1997. I was training in the same gym as him because I was a Carlson Gracie’s in LA and he was 19. And, you know, we all knew like god damn.”
“He was a f***ing athlete. Crazy athlete”
Masvidal pointed out that he had a rare gift: “He was a black belt and was KOing people dea d.”
Rogan later reiterated once again: ” I kind of wish they’d let people do whatever the f**k they wanted.”
He added: “There’s other organizations are very lacks.”
Masvidal added: “Or just like make it like even playing field for everybody because it’s just like… USADA oversees the Americans a lot harder than a lot of these other countries that they can’t even get into.”
Rogan went on to imply the Dagestanis are test free: “Yeah, they’re not trying to go into the mountains of Dagestan to give people piss tests”
Masvidal reiterated: “Man just make it fair for everybody if I’m getting tested 20 times a year, so and so should also be getting tested 20 times a year.”
