In a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Rogan shared his thoughts on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Gordon Ryan and the controversial topic of PEDs in combat sports.
During episode #2242 with guest Bert Sorin, Rogan addressed the ongoing debate between BJJ stars Gordon Ryan and Mikey Musumeci regarding PED use in their sport. The discussion emerged after Ryan publicly advocated for the legalization of PEDs, arguing they enhance athletic performance and entertainment value.
“I just think across the board, if people want to see the best athletes, the best athletes are the ones on PEDs,” Ryan stated.
Rogan acknowledged Ryan’s openness about PED use, explaining, “That’s where ster*ids come in, and that’s why Gordon Ryan can train 365 days a year. He’s open about it—like, he’s open about his use. Yeah, because they don’t test for ster*ids in Jiu-Jitsu. So, you know, he’s a wizard, so he’s like a pragmatist.”
The podcast host further elaborated, “When you have that, and then you have a genius-level IQ… and then you have a guy who trains 365 days a year and who also works on technique constantly—that’s how you have the greatest of all time.”
The controversy intensified when Musumeci, who recently signed with the UFC for their invitational events, criticized the BJJ community’s stance on PEDs. “There’s a lot of horrible ethics, morals, and I hope now that with the UFC we can change that and make it a professional sport,” Musumeci said at a UFC invitational presser.
Ryan responded to Musumeci’s comments on Instagram, stating, “Get off your moral high ground, dork. This guy is talking about cheating. Ster*ids are legal in every competition minus specific IBJJF competitions since 2019. It’s not cheating.”
BJJ athlete Kade Ruotolo added his perspective to the debate, claiming, “If there was d*ug testing in ADCC, there wouldn’t be an ADCC. I think 98% of athletes would drop out if they put drug testing in ADCC.”
The ongoing discussion has sparked a broader conversation about the role of PEDs in professional sports and their impact on athletic performance and competition integrity. While European trials maintain strict regulations against PED use, many major BJJ leagues have yet to implement comprehensive testing protocols.
