Chris Weidman: I’m kind worried Vitor Belfort is going to fail a drug test
Feb 25, 2014, 11:45 PM | Updated: 11:49 pm
Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) has been one of the hottest topics of conversation in the mixed martial arts community during the last two years. With the ability to give a fighter the testosterone levels of a young man, many are grouping in the same category as performance enhancing drugs.
But as long as a fighter can prove he needs the treatment for legitimate medical reasons, they will be granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) by the athletic commission from whatever state they are competing in.
Now with high profile fighters such as Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson and Frank Mir all being granted a TUE by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, this controversial treatment has never been more relevant.
But without a doubt the man in the center of the storm of the TRT controversy has to be current UFC middleweight number one contender Vitor Belfort.
To understand why Belfort has been lambasted about his testosterone use more than any other fighter one has to flashback to his at Pride 32 fight against Dan Henderson from back in 2006. Even thought Belfort lost the back-and-forth war between two MMA legends, it was what happened backstage that fight fans still talk about to this day.
Immediately following the contest Belfort tested positive for the illegal substance, 4-hydroxytestosterone, which when injected is known to increase the testosterone levels of users.
Fast forward seven years later and Belfort, now at an age where most fighters begin to think about retirement, has looked better than ever with eight straight wins in non-title bouts (seven by knockout) since making his middleweight debut back in 2009. But then it was revealed Belfort was taking TRT and the floodgates opened.
With the knowledge of his failed drug test still fresh in their minds, fans and media members quickly began to question whether Belfort’s TRT use was the reason for his career resurgence. After all he was a 36-year-old man with the body of a Greek god and the speed of 21-year-old kick boxer.
He has refereed to himself as the most tested athlete in the UFC, and to his credit he has passed every drug test thrown his way by both the UFC and various athletic commissions since he announced his use of the treatment.
But recently he made waves after he called for the same amount of testing done to his upcoming opponent, current UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
Making an appearance on the Power MMA Show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, Weidman stated he would have absolutely no problem with going through the extra testing.
“I don’t care. I’m clean so they can drug test me and everything like that,” said Weidman. “The blood test and whatever they want to do they can do.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission and the UFC have already come out and said they would be “test the living daylights” out of Belfort leading up to his title fight. For Weidman it does not seem fair to be punished for Belfort’s past mistakes but he would bite the bullet if it meant an even playing field.
“I’ve never failed [a test] before so I don’t feel I deserve to go through all that stuff,” said Weidman. “But if it’s something that will be good for the sport and if it makes Mr. Vitor happy then I might do it.”
But that failed drug test from seven years ago must be looming in the back of Weidman’s mind as he revealed he how nervous he is of Belfort failing a test and thus canceling their fight all together.
“Honestly I’m kind worried he’s going to fail a drug test now that he’s getting tested all the time,” said Weidman. “Supposedly at the [World MMA Awards] ceremony a couple of weeks ago in Vegas, they supposedly just randomly drug tested him. Like a (urine) test. So now I’m getting worried he’s going to fail.
“It’s all fun and games when I’m talking about him on TRT and how I don’t like it and then all of a sudden I don’t have a fight.”
If Belfort does pass all the tests, he will meet Weidman in the main event of UFC 173 on May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Only two other fights have been added to the preliminary card.
