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Video: Rashad Evans backs TRT usage in MMA, Michael Bisping… not so much
By Zach Arnold | August 1, 2012
It’s interesting to see how much the two anti-testosterone debaters (Kenny Florian & Michael Bisping) dominate this short conversation in terms of the time they take to speak, while Rashad is kind of playing it cool… but at the end says that he thinks MMA fighters should be allowed to use testosterone.
A couple of points brought up in the video – 1) Florian says there’s a huge advantage for the testosterone users when it comes to extra time to train (recovery from injuries) and how guys with more experience become drillers to killers. 2) The increased strength from using testosterone is discussed. 3) The argument that you don’t see testosterone usage as much, if at all, with the fighters in smaller weight classes because of the bulk it puts on your body frame. Remember, Rampage Jackson missed weight for his UFC Japan 2012 fight and said that he gained much more weight than he thought he would.
Unfortunately, this roundtable discussion didn’t touch upon the connection between concussions & testosterone levels.
Michael Bisping coming out in favor of random testing of fighters for four to five drug tests per year is certainly an interesting back drop to the upcoming testing by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency for both BJ Penn & Rory MacDonald.
Building upon the point made by Dominick Cruz — what is the cut off weight class in which we start to see a heavy amount of usage of testosterone? Is it 170 (Welterweight) or 185 (Middleweight)? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on what weight limit you think the benefits of testosterone usage really start to come into play here.
Here’s Dan Henderson talking about how he’s not a normal 40 year old. He’s exactly right.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
In addition to the neuroendocrinological effects of concussions –> hypogonadism. I’m curious to see other/additional studies on T-levels and concussions.
a) What is the relationship between competitor A’s T-level and competitor B’s incidence of concussion? b) Also does a higher T-level offer a degree of protection from concussion? c) Is there a difference in a) or b) when factoring in TRT usage?
If the state ACs keep this information- remove personal info (replace with a #) add in data from multiple events – seems like a possibility.
Zach,
I think Florian and Bisping knocked it out the box on this debate.
Did anyone see the Olympic boxing sham?!? Shimizu (JPN) vs. Abdulhamidov (Azerbaijan) – what a fkn SHAM…if you thought judging in MMA was bad. The fix was completely in – 5 knockdowns…IN THE 3RD ROUND (by Shimizu)and he LOST 22-17. Funny too that the referee did not provide a count on at least three of the knockdowns, something that was noted by the commentators.
5 knockdowns with headgear, and he lost. WOW.
http://deadspin.com/5931226/?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
The AIBA changed the result. Shimizu went on to the next round!
If that’s true the Azeris are going to be pissed. They spent a fortune on those medals.
Is Keith Kiezer taking notes?? He could learn something from these Olympic Officials on how to deal with bad officials.
Nice!
Wonder what they’re going to do about their $9 million now?!