UFC middleweight Ed Herman, who is preparing for his forthcoming fight on the last Strikeforce card against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, has told Boody Elbow that he is “pretty sure” that Jake Shields was on PEDs when the pair met last August.
The fight at UFC 150 was only Shields’ second at middleweight for the promotion, which he initially won but was then declared a “no-contest” after the fighter tested positive for a banned substance.
At the time Shields issued a statement admitting his “mistake” and is serving a six-month suspension. However, what the actual substance was that he was popped for has been shrouded in mystery.
Under Colorado law, where the match took place, medical details, including those revealed in a drug test are considered confidential.
But Herman believes that “just by looking at his physique going in to the fight,” it was obvious he was on a performance enhancing substance.
“He looked pretty puffed up and exhibited the common signs,” Herman told BloodyElbow.com. “As an athlete, you can recognize those signs. I can’t guarantee it, but I’m pretty positive that it was for some kind of performance enhancing drug.
“If it really was for marijuana, it’s a lot easier for a guy to come right out and say, ‘I smoked a joint, sorry.’ You get a little less criticism that way than if you cheated and used a performance enhancer.”
Shields had come into the UFC from Strikeforce in 2011 as middleweight champion. However, his first fight was at welterweight, where he narrowly defeated Martin Kampmann, before he went on to challenge Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight crown.
After losing to St-Pierre, then getting knocked out by Jake Ellenberger within 51 seconds, Shields decided to move back up to 185 pounds.
However, his performances at middleweight have hardly been scintillating. His victory against Yoshihiro Akiyama, and the overturned victory against Herman, came at the end of lacklustre performances which have led to Shields once again considering a return to welterweight.
Herman is being brought in to Strikeforce from the UFC to face Souza as a replacement for Lorenz Larkin, at Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine. The event will take place on Jan. 12 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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