Brazilian BJJ’s Viktor Doria has made a bold claim about performance-enhancers in master-divisions of BJJ competitions.
During a recent video that has since gone viral, Doria candidly stated that virtually no master-level athlete would pass a PED test – himself included.
Doria expressed significant concern about how the current competition landscape has transformed BJJ into something almost unrecognizable from its traditional form.
“There is the jiu-jitsu that we learn at the academy, self-defense, the attacks, the defenses, the whole thing, the fluid, beautiful jiu-jitsu, the jiu-jitsu that we like to see and that we like to practice. And there is the IBJJF jiu-jitsu, which is a jiu-jitsu that only operates within the four lines of the federation,” Doria explained.
This distinction has created a situation where competition success might incentivize practices that prioritize winning over technical development and integrity.
According to Doria, the complexity of IBJJF rules has created a problematic competitive environment that rewards cautious, defensive approaches rather than offensive, submission-hunting jiu-jitsu.
“The rule today rewards the guy who does not expose himself and who does not go after him, who does not attack,” Doria observed.
This creates a scenario where athletes may feel pressured to find other ways to gain competitive advantages.
He cited multiple examples from the recent World Championship where athletes who took risks and attempted submissions were penalized by the rule structure, while those who played conservatively were rewarded.
The pressure to succeed in a system that Doria describes as increasingly arbitrary and disconnected from the essence of jiu-jitsu could potentially push some competitors toward performance enhancement through various means, including PEDs.
The implications for the sport’s future are concerning according to Doria:
“The more the guys see, the fighters see that the less if they expose themselves, they have more chances of winning, they will be less athletic, we will see fewer attempts at submissions, we will see less plasticity and beauty in their movements and it will be a game of pushing and shoving.”
This trajectory not only affects the spectator appeal of the sport but potentially creates an environment where chemical advantages become more tempting as technical innovation is disincentivized.
Doria advocates for significant rule changes to address these issues, suggesting,
“Less is more, less preciousness, less nuances.”
He believes simplifying the rule structure could return the focus to technical proficiency and submission hunting rather than gaming a complex system.
“If you’re going to test master athletes, you might as well close the category,” Doria remarked in Portuguese in appearance on their MMA Hour. “Because my friend, not one would pass. Not one would pass. I include myself in that.”
The muscular veteran didn’t stop there, adding with a laugh, “Don’t even touch me if you don’t want to fail a d*ping test. When we older guys provide a sample, the cup would be radioactive.”
Doria’s comments have sparked renewed discussion about PED use in masters divisions, where competitors are typically aged 35 and older. While some have criticized his statements as damaging to the sport, others have praised his honesty about what many consider an open secret in competitive bodybuilding circles.
Sports physiologists note that maintaining extreme muscularity becomes increasingly difficult with age as natural testosterone levels decline, creating incentives for some older athletes to seek chemical assistance.
Doria is a manager to Mica Galvao and has close ties to Roberto Cyborg Abreu and Vagner Rocha. Rocha has come clean and admitted to being on TRT following a USADA suspension IBJJF handed out for basically dodging the podium.
For now, Doria’s unfiltered comments have opened a rare window into the challenges and complexities of master-level athletics, where the pursuit of physical excellence collides with the realities of aging.
