UFC's Dana White 'doesn't care' if TRT users aren't able to fight again
LONDON – With Nevada, California and the UFC coming down hard on testosterone-replacement therapy, the futures of fighters who previously received permission to used the controversial treatment appear to be in jeopardy.
That includes TRT user Vitor Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC), whose shot at the UFC middleweight title is on hold following his removal from a fight with champ Chris Weidman (11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) at UFC 173. Lyoto Machida (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) is now slated to face the champ in the May 24 pay-per-view headliner.
Belfort said he needs 90 days to adjust to fighting without doctor-prescribed testosterone and said he will meet the Weidman vs. Machida winner. Another public TRT user, three-time title challenger Chael Sonnen, said he may have to retire without the treatment.
But according to UFC President Dana White, the question of whether or not TRT users are able to bounce back is not his problem.
“I don’t care,†he told MMAjunkie following Friday’s UFC Fight Night 37 weigh-ins in London. “If you need that stuff to perform and compete, you probably shouldn’t perform or compete any more.
“Have I flip-flopped ever on my stance on this stuff? (If) it goes away, I don’t give a s–t. Not my problem. That fight, the whole Vitor (Belfort) thing, that battle is not my battle. That’s Vitor’s battle.â€
After a trio of highlight-reel knockouts in 2013 brought giddy praise from UFC execs and a title shot, Belfort is now in a tough spot with the promotion. He remains a contender, but he must receive the OK to fight by state athletic commissions who may require him to clear additional hurdles given his history with TRT.
“Sure, he’s still in line,†White said of Belfort. “That doesn’t take him out of line at all. The fights he’s won, he’s won. And I can tell you this: Every time he was tested by us (while on TRT), he was within his levels (of acceptable testosterone in his system). He was where he was supposed to be. And I also told you guys we were going to test the s–t out of him, and we did. He was always within his levels.â€
Although White was neutral or positive on TRT in 2012, when it began to dominate headlines, his recent opposition to the treatment is stronger than ever.
Over the past year, he’s been increasingly vocal about his TRT opposition. He backed the Association of Ringside Commissions’ call earlier this year for a ban on TRT, and when the Nevada boxing commission recently put an end to therapeutic-use exemptions for it, the UFC quickly released a statement in support of the decision.
Previously, White left the issue up to state-run athletic commissions. He also said TRT was “great,†“absolutely fair,†and “legal,†while still cautioning that abuse was an issue.
At the pre-fight festivities for UFC Fight Night 37, White railed at a recent ESPN story that portrayed him as inconsistent in his stance on the controversial topic.
“I never f–king flip-flopped, never did I flip-flop,†he said. “I said right off the bat I don’t like it, that we shouldn’t use it. I get it. It’s science. I even said it’s a loophole in the system.
“What happens is, you have science (that) goes out there and create this thing where men as they get older get lower testosterone and they can build your testosterone back up. But of course, you’re always going to have guys that (say), ‘Well, if this much brings me back to normal, where does this take me?’ That’s always going to happen if you have a loophole in the system.
“I’ve been the guy who’s been vocal about it and said it should go away, and if you don’t think that had an impact on why it went away, you’re crazy.â€
This past week, Belfort’s use of TRT was under further scrutiny when it was revealed the Nevada commission had performed a surprise test on him on Feb. 7, the results of which were not made public and were subsequently called “not relevant†by the fighter’s attorney because of the UFC 173 withdrawal.
While it may never be known whether the result played any part in Belfort’s removal from the event, White previously said he would never allow the fighter to abuse TRT and saw no reason he shouldn’t be allowed to fight in Nevada.
Now, according to White, the burden is on Belfort to prove he can. It’s certain the test result will be made public if he applies in the future for a fight license in the fight capitol of the world.
“I don’t like cheating whether it’s with drugs – I don’t like fighters getting ripped off by referees,†White said. “I don’t like fighters getting ripped off by judges. I don’t like any of that.
“I like a fair playing field, and everybody’s given the opportunity, and everything should be fair. That’s why I’ve been screaming about athletic commissions getting the right judges and refs, and I could care less if TRT goes away.
“There’s a loophole that was there. Now it’s gone.â€
