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« | Home | »

Mood swings: Rampage rages against UFC

By Zach Arnold | March 6, 2012

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Two hours ago, Rampage used “the Dana defense” in regards to answering someone’s question on Twitter about using testosterone:

“@KnowledgeNupe: @Rampage4real what’s up with admitting to testerone replacing? Are you going to be suspended at all?”No! Its not illegal!

He claimed that he feels like he is leaving ‘heaven’ to get back into training and that ‘my knee is held!’

An hour later, Rampage went raging on Twitter (as demonstrated in the screen captures up above) against UFC — including this gem:

“@VWAssassin: @Rampage4real your leaving the UFC?” Y should I stay? I don’t need them or anybody else negative dealing with my carrie

45 minutes or so after raging against the UFC and defending his new-found testosterone boost, Rampage tried to apologize to everyone for what he said.

Yes, the same man who ignited the proverbial cherry bomb last week with his Fighters Only interview talking about how his ‘doctor works for the UFC’ and that the ‘UFC doctor’ led him to an age-management doctor to get testosterone so he could fight in Japan. These are the kinds of remarks that can implode on you. So, you would think Rampage would have played it on the down low and stayed quiet. Instead, he starts going off (again) on UFC out of the blue.

So, was his interview with Fighters Only some sort of weird passive-aggressive deal to try to get fired from UFC? But why on Earth would he want to do that when his ‘doctor works for the UFC’ and took better care of him than he says PRIDE did? As Luca Fury promptly asked, “no MMA organizations pays more than the UFC, so does this mean you want to box professionally?”

I wonder how Rampage’s old training buddy Michael Bisping feels about RJ’s new-found love for testosterone considering what the Brit has said about Chael Sonnen’s usage of the T in the past.

Would testosterone TUEs for Zuffa fighters be approved using USADA standards?

I was going to write a separate post on the topic, but Rampage made it easy for me to incorporate this item here.

Take a look at the USADA guidelines (August 2011) in regards to what criteria needs to be met in order to get a Therapeutic Use Exemption for testosterone:

Let’s use Rampage’s situation, as he laid out in the Fighters Only interview, as a test case example.

On bullet point one, I have some doubts that this requirement would be met. On the second & third points, I don’t see Rampage getting a TUE just because he has ‘low levels.’ On the last point, Rampage would utterly fail in getting a TUE. He claims his doctor ‘who works for the UFC’ led him to an age management doctor, which resulted in the alleged prescription for testosterone. Rampage said in the Fighters Only interview that he was feeling like he was 25 years old, ‘doggy style’ as he put it. The last bullet point from USADA practically reads like the most succinct item you could possibly write to eviscerate Rampage’s legitimacy in using testosterone.

As for Bristol Marunde, the latest fighter under the Zuffa banner to be reportedly using a TUE in order to take testosterone… his older brother is the late Jesse Marunde, the World Strongest Man competitor who died in 2007 due to a genetic heart defect (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).

Bristol reportedly joins Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson, Rampage Jackson, Todd Duffee, and Nate Marquardt on the list of (publicly) notable names who currently are using TUEs for testosterone usage. As Rampage alleged in his Fighters Only interview, the UFC supposedly told him that there are ‘probably’ many more fighters out there using testosterone that we don’t know about yet. The list is growing.

Rampage closed out the Twitter proceedings with the following:

I know 1 place I’m not going back 2! I’m going 2 b with my wife n kids n sin no more! Just ask 4 forgiveness! #new I’d win this 1!

Sin no more? Get off the testosterone and stop defending your usage of it. Also, name your doctor ‘who works for UFC’ while you’re at it, too.

Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 26 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

26 Responses to “Mood swings: Rampage rages against UFC”

  1. Mike Lewis says:

    I think you are looking too much at this whole ufc doctor thing. You need to remember that Rampage isnt that smart. Its well documented that when fighters get injured the UFC flies them out to a specialist, that doesnt mean that the doctor works for the ufc does it? I assumed its just that the doctor is the best in their field and the ufc pays for the fighters to go and see them.

    Where is the scandal?

    • DJ TE says:

      “Where’s the scandal?”

      The UFC’s “specialists” seem to be helping guys cheat while also guiding them away from legitimate care for their injuries?

  2. @MMAonthereg says:

    A UFC fighter got caught using a banned substance and then blamed it on their doctors.

    If this is true…
    We all know the Therapeutic Use Exemption for testosterone is next to impossible to obtain. That being said, there is no justification for UFC doctors to be advocating this sort of banned substance. If credible evidence comes out that UFC doctors are prescribing testosterone, the repercussions for the UFC and MMA are indescribable.

    If this isn’t true, then Rampage has a serious problem. Not only could there be legal consequences from these statements, but outside promotions are going to fear doing business with him and subsequently pay him less.

    The definition of scandal:

    A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages (or tries to damage) the reputation of an institution, individual or creed.. A scandal may be based on true or false allegations or a mixture of both.

    This is definitely a scandal.

    • Steve4192 says:

      There is no scandal because there is no such thing as a ‘UFC doctor’. None of these supposed ‘UFC doctors’ work for the UFC. They are self-employed, or work for an HMO, or for a hospital. They don’t draw a paycheck and a 401K from Zuffa. They bill Zuffa for their services.

      They are not ‘UFC doctors’ any more than my primary care physician is a ‘Steve doctor’. I am not legally or morally liable for the medical decisions my doctor makes.

      • 45 Huddle says:

        Correct

        • Mike Lewis says:

          Exactly

          If I hurt myself at work and my company send me to a doctor, that doctor is not employed by my company. My company is not liable for anything that doctor recommends and my company has no influence over what that doctor prescribes.

          Trying to read deeper into the words of rampage is just pointless as he has proven time and time again to not think before he speaks and shows litle understanding of pretty much anything

      • white ninja says:

        So, on your logic – there is no such thing as a UFC fighter because all UFC fighters are selfemployed, dont draw a paycheck and a 401K from Zuffa – they get paid by Zuffa for their fights

        Cuts both ways – if UFC paid for the doctors (which Im assuming they did) – these guys are “UFC doctors”

        But good to see there’s a few lawyers on here who care about whether Zuffa is “liable” for the actions of the doctor its pays for or this somehow matters to this scandal

        There’s a reason they get paid by Zuffa…. and its not to provide the best care possible in the long term interests of the patient – they are paid to get fighters into the cage

        • 45 Huddle says:

          There is no such thing as a UFC Fighter who is also a UFC employee. They are all independent contractors. Which makes sense because they only do about 2 to 4 days worth of contracted work for the UFC per year.

          The only UFC employees are their back office people who get a weekly, bi-weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly paycheck.

          Let me give you an example of why you are wrong.

          **********

          At my previous residence, somebody purchased a whole bunch of land next door and wanted to cut down trees and make a huge development. So when he proposed his plan to the town, he hired a lawyer.

          Guess which lawyer he hired? The towns lawyer of course. How it’s not illegal is beyond me, but it was perfectly legal.

          Anyways, it would be incorrect for this land owner to say he was using a “town lawyer”. Sure the lawyer also worked for the town, but he wasn’t using the lawyer through the towns expense. The lawyer was being paid seperately and was doing another job for this specific client.

          Same thing with the Rampage case. He was using a “UFC Doctor” in the case that the guy also did work for the UFC. But the UFC is just a client to him. Same as Rampage is a client to him.

          So for Rampage to make it sound like it was the UFC who was helping him out here is not only false, but borderline defamation.

        • Steve4192 says:

          “Cuts both ways – if UFC paid for the doctors (which Im assuming they did) – these guys are “UFC doctors””

          I seriously doubt Zuffa pays for fighter’s medical bills out of pocket. Their insurance provider pays for medical expenses. They aren’t ‘UFC doctors’ by any stretch of the imagination.

  3. 45 Huddle says:

    Rampage being Rampage. The guy is a mental midget who on multiple occassions has proven he doesn’t even understand the very sport he participates in.

  4. cutch says:

    He is most likely trying to renegotiate his contract, where else is he going to go? Bellator aren’t exactly paying big money either.

    He would get mauled at HW in Boxing against any half way decent fighter, there is no money at Cruiserweight and not that much at Heavyweight either, K1 is finished as well so that’s not really an option.

  5. Jason Harris says:

    This sort of childish behavior makes me so irritated as a former big fan of Rampage.

    The guy bitches and moans more than anyone, but he’s definitely in the top 10 for payscale in UFC…and they coddle the hell out of him!

    When he went crazy, ran into a pregnant woman and got arrested, Dana White personally went to bail him out of jail and testify on his behalf. UFC set him up in a gym in the UK so he could get out of the limelight. A year later he’s retiring and going to acting because UFC treats him bad and has never done anything for him.

    Now he’s coming off of a terrible performance against a guy who was picked because he was a beatable name, on the Japan card which he begged publicly to be on. UFC has not given him hell even though he’s come in super heavy and looking sluggish and lethargic…and now, more bitching and whining that the UFC isn’t treating him well.

    What an entitled little child.

    Let Rampage fight Tito and they can both have a “wahhh” off while collecting their millions for half assing their training and putting on crappy fights.

    • cutch says:

      The U Fight Cheap thing is laughable because he isn’t going to get that money elsewhere.

      Bellator isn’t paying big money for anyone right now, I doubt many Boxing promoters want him, especially for the money he’s on right now.

      He will be trying to renegotiate his contract.

  6. 45 Huddle says:

    White interview with Helwani is up.

    When asked about Rampage, he said Fertitta called him up to ask him and Rampage said none of it was true about getting it from a UFC doctor.

    White also said that he dealth with the reporter who said this stuff about Rampage… And that the reporter was a d#ck who was trying to put words into Dana’s mouth during the interview until he called him on it.

  7. white ninja says:

    45 Huddle and Steve

    Im aware of the legal situation; but I think you will find the court of public opinion wont be too interested in the detailed legal explanations

    theyll hear – steriods – UFC fighter – UFC doctor – and thats about how much attention span they have

    People have common sense – they know what it means when you go to a “company doctor” or a “company lawyer” – the company doesnt always have your interests at heart – he looks after his meal ticket (ie., the company)

    So, this could be more than just a scandal for UFC – this could impact their brand in a major way

    • cutch says:

      Dana has said he spoke to Rampage and he denied saying it, he said the interviewer tried to put words in his mouth when they spoke about it, so that is the current spin.

  8. ufc doomed says:

    STEROIDS-BOYCOTT-STEROIDS-BOYCOTT-STEROIDS-BOYCOTT

    Done with MMA, Football, Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Underwater Basket weaving, ha,ha,ha etc. Rampage Jackson admits to steroid use. Doctor script just a cover up for fighters. FUUFC I am done with this joke of a carnival show.

    I am tired of all the cheaters and steroids. If a sport cannot do Olympic style blood and urine testing for hgh, steroids, etc, then they are not going to get my money. Look at baseball. Even though the sport is boring and has many problems, steroids killed baseball’s revenue. I see the empty stands and see how cameras try to manipulate seating shots to make it appear there is a full stadium. A real man stands on his own two feet for what he is and struggles to change his weaknesses into strengths, not cheat with steroids. All those mma cheaters are just a bunch of losers, and regardless of the media hype or money thrown they will always look like that in everyone’s eyes, period. Why don’t I give everyone a bat who didn’t take steroids to even the playing field. Americans know their “pro” sports are tainted, and we don’t need to wait for congress to fix you. Everyone speaks of mma like it is a circus rather than a sport because of all the controversy. You are going the same route as fake wrestling or strongman competitions that make no money because of steroid losers. It is cause and effect. Less fans, less attendance at other venues like bars, means less money for all businesses around. Regulate steroids before it destroys your source of income. I know I am not going to any events until you fix this crap.

    List of Steroid Cheaters, some are still with their organizations after a slap on the wrist.ex Chris Leben

    JOSH BARNETT (now with strikeforce), TIM SYLVIA, KIMO LEOPOLDO, NATE MARQUARDT, VITOR BELFORT, STEPHAN BONNAR, PAWEL NASTULA, KIT COPE, JOHNNIE MORTON, ROYCE GRACIE, JORGE ORTIZ, PHIL BARONI, SEAN SHERK (still with UFC), HERMES FRANCA, ANTHONY TORRES, BILL MAHOOD, ADAM SMITH, JASON WINTHERS, RUBEN VILLAREAL, DENNIS HALLMAN, ALEXANDER CRISPIM, CARINA DAMM, ALEXANDRE NOGUEIRA, ANTONIO SILVA, EDWIN DEWEES, CHRIS LEBEN (still with UFC), KIRILL SIDELNIKOV, KEN SHAMROCK, JOSH BARNETT, COLE PROVINCE, CHAEL SONNEN (still with UFC), SHANE CARWIN (not caught but federal link to purchase of steroids), Rampage Jackson admitted to steroid replacement by doctor, Thiago Silva urine samples are not consistent with that of human urine (actually used a catheter to put animal urine in his own bladder, moron).

    Really, you cheat, you get another chance, BS!!!

    For everyone who supports steroid use, I don’t know what to say. You are either born a man or not, and compensating by drugs pretty much answers those questions. Everyone can see when most anyone really abuses steroids, and notes records broken, and people dying of cancer early. I hope those that support it take it and die from the stuff so the rest of us can enjoy this rock with a few less losers on it.

    Piss tests are not good enough because any cheater can use a catheter and fill his bladder with whatever at any time. The testing is also not that costly, for blood and urine, so that argument don’t fly with me either. Also sports need to publicly state who was on what whenever they fail a test. Football and baseball keep their information private other than announcing a failed PED. I hear about a steroid user and I boycott and bad mouth.

    Dana White just came out and stated he supports TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy), and is just a way of doctors shielding fighters juicing.

    Dana White you are a DOUCHE

    Army of Darkness

  9. I believe everything wrote was actually very reasonable.
    But, what about this? suppose you added a little content?
    I ain’t suggesting your content is not good, but suppose you added a post title to maybe grab a person’s attention? I mean Mood swings: Rampage
    rages against UFC | FightOpinion.com – Your Global
    Connection to the Fight Industry. is a little boring. You ought to look at Yahoo’s front page and see
    how they create article headlines to get viewers
    interested. You might add a video or a pic or two to grab readers interested about what you’ve written. In my opinion, it might make your
    blog a little livelier.

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