(For the coaches) Can you tell if your fighter is on PEDs?

[David Rosado]

Interesting question got brought up in the midst of the whole Jones scandal.

Can you tell if one of your fighters is using?



Is it usually the coaches who provide PEDs like the movies? Or is it the fighter hiding his usage?


From my experience and observation, it looks to me like the coaches are there to coach and that's it. No meal plans and all that. Just training. So it's kind of hard for me to believe that professional MMA coaches are out there giving out PEDs. Am I being naive?

[Micah Giron]

The coaches probably aren't providing them, but it's extremely likely that they are aware of usage and have a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude toward it. I had a coach who gave me a huge speech about how everyone else is using, and you're bringing a knife to a gunfight if you don't use. He even mentioned specific drugs that he knows Jiu Jitsu and MMA guys use, and then said something along the lines of "I'm not saying you should, but if you want to win, you have to." So he might not have given me the drugs himself, but he said/did everything he could to get me to start taking them without explicitly suggesting it.

With all that being said, there's a world of difference between steroids and coke. No quality coach would be okay with their fighters using recreational drugs like that.

[John Mejia]

Interesting question got brought up in the midst of the whole Jones scandal.

Can you tell if one of your fighters is using?



Is it usually the coaches who provide PEDs like the movies? Or is it the fighter hiding his usage?


From my experience and observation, it looks to me like the coaches are there to coach and that's it. No meal plans and all that. Just training. So it's kind of hard for me to believe that professional MMA coaches are out there giving out PEDs. Am I being naive?

Let's put it this way, when I played hockey I was faced with a serious decision. Get on the needle, or get dealt. I said no and was traded within the hour.

PED's are serious things in every sport you play. Coaches, General Managers, Scouts, everyone knows if you're on or if you're not. Then when you get popped the blame solely falls on you or your agent.

[Kyle Spalla]

The coaches probably aren't providing them, but it's extremely likely that they are aware of usage and have a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude toward it. I had a coach who gave me a huge speech about how everyone else is using, and you're bringing a knife to a gunfight if you don't use. He even mentioned specific drugs that he knows Jiu Jitsu and MMA guys use, and then said something along the lines of "I'm not saying you should, but if you want to win, you have to." So he might not have given me the drugs himself, but he said/did everything he could to get me to start taking them without explicitly suggesting it.

With all that being said, there's a world of difference between steroids and coke. No quality coach would be okay with their fighters using recreational drugs like that.

Realist or not. Your coach sounds like a loser to me. Two wrongs never make a right and "everyone else is doing it" mentality is just illogical and dumb. If you were to say to your coach. I am thinking of taking the spike, you don't think he would know someone to recommend you to obtain those substances. I do HGH cycles in Iraq and got huge gains from it but the down side was the mood swings and rapid loss of gains once I quit taking it. I told myself when winning becomes more important than the experience and the journey I am done. To something because everyone else is doing it is not a warriors or a true competitors mentality. This might sound naive but when I am 45 and don't have bitch tits and backne I will be able to look myself in the mirror and say I honestly trained and fought my hardest against those jiu jitsu super mutants. That is awesome you didn't do that crap because it really won't benefit you in the long run.

[David Rosado]

Let's put it this way, when I played hockey I was faced with a serious decision. Get on the needle, or get dealt. I said no and was traded within the hour.

PED's are serious things in every sport you play. Coaches, General Managers, Scouts, everyone knows if you're on or if you're not. Then when you get popped the blame solely falls on you or your agent.

Damn son. That's wild.

[John Mejia]

Damn son. That's wild.

It's the truth. And it's sad. More and more of these "tough guy" types playing hockey are doing/have done cycles in their careers... It's shitty.

[Micah Giron]

Realist or not. Your coach sounds like a loser to me. Two wrongs never make a right and "everyone else is doing it" mentality is just illogical and dumb. If you were to say to your coach. I am thinking of taking the spike, you don't think he would know someone to recommend you to obtain those substances. I do HGH cycles in Iraq and got huge gains from it but the down side was the mood swings and rapid loss of gains once I quit taking it. I told myself when winning becomes more important than the experience and the journey I am done. To something because everyone else is doing it is not a warriors or a true competitors mentality. This might sound naive but when I am 45 and don't have bitch tits and backne I will be able to look myself in the mirror and say I honestly trained and fought my hardest against those jiu jitsu super mutants. That is awesome you didn't do that crap because it really won't benefit you in the long run.

The "everyone else is doing it" and "win by any means necessary" attitude is the reason I didn't listen to a word he said after that conversation outside of technical advice on the mat. I'm fine being the best I can naturally and without being a piece of shit, even if that means not being as good of a competitor as guys who are using. Competition is a small part of the appeal of Jiu Jitsu for me anyway. His attitude definitely showed in every aspect of his life. He is one of the most selfish people I've ever met, and treats his wife and employees like shit. I would rather lose tournaments while living a lifestyle that won't leave me in horrible shape when I'm old and knowing that I played fairly, than win tournaments while taking the gear and being a terrible person. He was affiliated with Lloyd Irvin at one point, btw.

Long live the 97%.