The old saying goes “you shouldn’t throw stones if you live in a glass house” and many would argue that’s exactly what UFC light heavyweight title contender Chael Sonnen did Wednesday night.
In an appearance on the Jim Rome on Showtime show, Sonnen was asked about Juan Manuel Marquez’s astonishing knockout of Manny Pacquiao, a fighter many considered boxing’s pound-for-pound king heading into the fight.
Sonnen, an open user of testosterone replacement therapy, accused Marquez of using performance enhancing drugs prior to his fourth bout with the “Pacman” on Dec. 8 (transcription via MMA Mania).
“Pacquiao got hit by a guy who miraculously went through puberty a second time at 39 years old. He got hit by a guy that showed up with more power at 39 than he had in any of the previous fights. He had a 6 pack that he never had before. There’s two tests that you have, Jim. You’ve got the pee test, but you’ve also got the visual test. When you take your robe off and you get in the ring that’s your first test. And to act as if all of us didn’t go, ‘Something’s going on there.’ No, I haven’t said that (he’s on PEDs), but I sure came close, didn’t I? I know that Freddy Roach did. I know Freddy Roach said, ‘If that body’s clean, I kiss your ass.’ But you gotta understand, all substances aren’t illegal. Did he take something? Sure, he did. Did he take something illegal? Well, according to the test, no. I just know you don’t go through puberty twice and I’ll leave it at that.”
Marquez, a seven-time world champion in five different weight classes, was unquestionably in tremendous shape for the blockbuster match up.
However, as Yahoo! Sports reported, he had no worries of failing a post-fight drug test, insisting he is, and always has been, a clean fighter.
“As far as people thinking I am taking steroids? I would take the test. Let them take my blood. I don’t care. [I would do it] just to shut everybody up. Of course my fight tests have always been clean. I don’t know how those rumors get started.”
Unlike Marquez, Sonnen has tested positive for elevated testosterone levels in his career, back in August 2010 after his UFC 117 meeting with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
He was suspended for one year by the California State Athletic Commission and was fined $2,500, with a successful appeal by Sonnen and his camp reducing the suspension to six months ultimately being reversed.
After a second loss to Silva at UFC 148 in July, Sonnen returns to the 205-pound division for the first time in over six years to take on champion Jon “Bones” Jones in April, after coaching opposite each other on “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Is Sonnen simply trying to stir the pot as usual or does he actually bring up a valid point or two here?
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com