Paulo Filho admits use of cocaine during WEC career, says Jon Jones will use it again

Former PRIDE star and WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho once was one of the best fighters in the world, but never really achieved what his teammates expected him to.

For years, training partners claimed Filho was the best 185-pound fighter on the planet, but he would never really have the opportunity to prove it since he was a teammate of UFC kingpin Anderson Silva — and even Silva called Filho the best when both were at the top.

However, Filho’s career derailed due to depression, and he claims that the addiction to Rohypnol had nothing to do with it: Filho blames that on the use of cocaine after his first fight with Chael Sonnen.

“My biggest issue was depression, awakened early by the use of cocaine,” Filho told Tatame. “I had just beaten Chael Sonnen, I was in San Diego, and went to Mexico to celebrate. I was too drunk and started to feel bad. A Mexican brought me the drug, and I used it and became ‘new’ again. The drug brings up back up, you feel great. But when it’s over, you get deeply depressed.”

According to the former WEC middleweight champion, who racked up a perfect 14-0 record before his first title defense against Sonnen in 2007, UFC star Jon Jones, who tested positive for cocaine in an out-of-competition drug test in 2014 and got stripped of his title after a hit-and-run incident in April, also has depression.

“Jon Jones has the same disease that I do,” Filho said. “We have a genetic weakness to ingest any substance. You use once and can’t live without. Sooner or later he will use it again.”

Filho, who went 7-6-3 since that submission win over Sonnen at WEC 31, is still recovering after getting shot in the leg and breaking his femur in October, but plans on coming back to the cages in the future.

“I’m training. I will come back,” he said. “I’m more focused, more relaxed. It’s not that old bulls–t from the past. It’s the truth now. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do anything. I just train. I stay with my wife, my family, and a few friends. I promised that Paulo will be back. If only to lose or get knocked out, but you will see a different Paulo: ready, prepared to fight hard.”

Former PRIDE star and WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho once was one of the best fighters in the world, but never really achieved what his teammates expected him to.

For years, training partners claimed Filho was the best 185-pound fighter on the planet, but he would never really have the opportunity to prove it since he was a teammate of UFC kingpin Anderson Silva — and even Silva called Filho the best when both were at the top.

However, Filho’s career derailed due to depression, and he claims that the addiction to Rohypnol had nothing to do with it: Filho blames that on the use of cocaine after his first fight with Chael Sonnen.

“My biggest issue was depression, awakened early by the use of cocaine,” Filho told Tatame. “I had just beaten Chael Sonnen, I was in San Diego, and went to Mexico to celebrate. I was too drunk and started to feel bad. A Mexican brought me the drug, and I used it and became ‘new’ again. The drug brings up back up, you feel great. But when it’s over, you get deeply depressed.”

According to the former WEC middleweight champion, who racked up a perfect 14-0 record before his first title defense against Sonnen in 2007, UFC star Jon Jones, who tested positive for cocaine in an out-of-competition drug test in 2014 and got stripped of his title after a hit-and-run incident in April, also has depression.

“Jon Jones has the same disease that I do,” Filho said. “We have a genetic weakness to ingest any substance. You use once and can’t live without. Sooner or later he will use it again.”

Filho, who went 7-6-3 since that submission win over Sonnen at WEC 31, is still recovering after getting shot in the leg and breaking his femur in October, but plans on coming back to the cages in the future.

“I’m training. I will come back,” he said. “I’m more focused, more relaxed. It’s not that old bulls–t from the past. It’s the truth now. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do anything. I just train. I stay with my wife, my family, and a few friends. I promised that Paulo will be back. If only to lose or get knocked out, but you will see a different Paulo: ready, prepared to fight hard.”