Fighters making vague, sweeping references about the rampancy of PEDs in MMA is really nothing new. Some may be more vocal than others, but with time everyone from Roy Nelson to Nate Diaz has thrown a number out there concerning the percentage of dirty athletes on the Zuffa roster. Usually the number winds up on the higher end of the spectrum, but rarely does it wind up this high.
“I would say 90% of UFC fighters use performance enhancers,” welterweight veteran Dong Hyun Kim recently declared to South Korean outlet MFight (translation via MiddleEasy).
“While a lot of people believe doping tests work, just like a breathalyzer test you can get away with it by just controlling timing. Most of the steroids user just cycle and get by the tests. It’s almost like other athletes look down on you as an idiot if you don’t do steroids. It’s like non-users are bicyclists while steroid users are racing with motorcycles. But I am one of those ‘idiots’ that don’t use performance enhancers.”
Kim’s assertion isn’t exactly surprising, though considering how often we’ve heard this before, it is rather alarming. But this is the world we live in and until Zuffa commits to a more stringent testing policy, we’re stuck with an accepted culture of cheating while guys who wanted to relax after practice with a little marijuana lose the right to earn a living for upwards of a year.
6 MUST-READ STORIES
Kim: 90-percent of UFC fighters on PEDs. In an interview with South Korean outlet MFight, welterweight Dong Hyun Kim criticized the UFC’s drug testing program, guessing the percentage of UFC fighters who used performance enhancers rested around 90-percent.
The MMA hour. Ariel Helwani and The MMA Hour return with a stacked line-up featuring Lyoto Machida, Cesar Gracie, Luke Rockhold, Todd Duffee, Costa Philippou, Dion Staring and Jessica Eye.
Martinez to play Buffer next month. Because of the UFC’s duel event schedules on Dec. 15, former WEC ring announcer Joe Martinez will play the role of Bruce Buffer at UFC on FX 6 in Australia.
GSP: Silva fight will happen on my terms. Speaking to Radio-Canada’s Tout Le Monde en Parle, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre said of a potential superfight with Anderson Silva, “Yes, I want the fight. But I want to take it when I decide the time is right, not when he wants the fight to happen.”
Bellator adding rematch clauses. Starting in 2013, Bellator Fighting Championships will institute a championship rematch clause allowing exciting or controversial title bouts to be run back without the need to wait for another tournament.
Condit tattoo artist sues THQ. Tattoo artist Chris Escobedo is suing THQ for the use of his artwork — a lion tattoo that adorns the right side of Carlos Condit’s torso — in the UFC Undisputed 3 video game without obtaining prior permission.
MEDIA STEW
Is this a show called How to Kill Zombies with Daron Cruickshank? Yes, yes it is. Is the first epsiode about samurai swords? Of course.
What happens when you enter the cage to the manliest song ever created? Apparently nothing but good things.
Anthony Pettis on his good friend “Cowboy” Cerrone: “I respect his skills, but as a person I don’t respect him at all.”
Nick Diaz throws knives at dartboards in his spare time. This should not surprise you.
(HT: MiddleEasy)
I have no idea why this exists, and I have no idea how I’ve never seen it before.
(HT: Bloody Elbow)
ALLOW ME TO RETORT
@lukerockhold lol #easymoney I didnt think you were that funny and if you were hurt why did you sign the contract? Dickface
— lorenz larkin (@da_MONSOON) November 26, 2012
@lukerockhold ok then why would I be in camp training for you if we weren’t a confirmed bout
— lorenz larkin (@da_MONSOON) November 26, 2012
BRITISH HUMOR
So , some bloke throws a block of cheese at me today!I thought that’s mature ..
— michael (@bisping) November 26, 2012
sorry guys, that was a bit cheesy!
— michael (@bisping) November 26, 2012
BAD IDEA
@the_fleek man the fun has been sucked out of my twitter account. If my fans want me to be more active they got to tell me.
— Miguel Angel Torres (@MiguelTorresMMA) November 26, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Monday, November 26, 2012):
- N/A
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day sees MikeWellman88 look ahead for: UFC on FOX 5: The Main Card on Paper
Mike Swick’s second fight back from injury layoff against Matt Brown is the first fight on Fox, and should be epic. Brown is on a three-fight win streak, and Swick is coming off a knock out win over DaMarques Johnson at the last UFC on Fox. I think both these guys have finishing power but Brown might be the more durable fighter. Swick can end the fight with one shot, and it’s safe to say he’ll be looking for it right out of the gate, maybe not solely, but I don’t think Swick is taking the ‘wherever the fight goes’ approach going in. Brown however is a ‘wherever the fight goes’ type of fighter, and has beaten fighters in the past who were known for their striking, like Jon Howard, Pete Sell, and Stephen Thompson. This should be a great scrap, and is a great way to start off the Fox card. If I had to mutter a pick to myself in the corner, I’d say ‘Brown’.
The legendary future Hall-of-Fame,multi-division former UFC champion BJ Penn is also fighting on Fox, against Rory Macdonald. Rory Macdonald is a huge favorite in this fight, having looked dominant in all of his recent fights. BJ Penn had a period of dominance, but he has won only one of his last five fights, a 2010 knock out of Matt Hughes. Here we have a young, athletic, dominant prospect in Macdonald against an aging legend who, when pitted against the division’s best, in John Fitch, and Nick Diaz, took a whole lot of damage. I’m picking Rory Macdonald, but would suredly love to see BJ Penn high on the cage licking the blood off of his gloves in victory.
The co-main event is a great big fight with former UFC and Pride champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua against Alexander ‘The Mauler’ Gustafsson. This one could be fireworks. Gustafsson likes to keep strikers at bay with his footwork, kicks, and outside striking. Shogun likes to close the distance and get in his opponents face like its Black Friday. Lyoto Machida is great with using distance to dictate where and how his fights end, and Shogun pushed his pace for 5 rounds and then knocked him out cold in their rematch. I’m going to go with ‘Mauler’ to chip away at Shogun and take a late fight finish or a decision, but on a card full of heavy underdogs I’d say Shogun has the best chance of an upset.
The main event is one of the most intriguing match ups of the year, and showcases two of the most talented fighters on the UFC roster. Benson Henderson has won five fights in a row and is undefeated in the UFC. Nate Diaz hasn’t been beaten at 155 since January of 2010 to Gray Maynard, and has fought at lightweight five times since then. With Frankie Edgar at 145, and BJ Penn at 170, these truly are the best fighters at 155 lbs in the UFC. I say in the UFC because Gilbert Melendez hasn’t fought in the octagon yet, and when he does, we most likely will have the same top three in the world, just maybe in a different order. But back to the fight at hand.
Anywho, those five wins in a row for Bendo were all by decision, and they were all against guys who finish fights, much like Nate Diaz. Nate’s most recent losses were against Rory Macdonald and Dong Hyun Kim, both of whom are great grapplers, who took him to decisions. All the evidence suggests Benson should be able to get past Nate, but Nate has that tenacity that might be what it takes to get his hand raised. There’s a lot going on at UFC on Fox 5 on December 8th, and I hope that 2013 brings in more cards like this one.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.