(Photo via Ryan Loco/Blackzilians)
Light-heavyweight slugger Anthony Johnson has been back in the UFC for less than a week, and already he’s courting controversy. During a recent interview with SiriusXM TapouT Radio, Johnson said he has no problem with performance-enhancing drug use in MMA — and seemed to argue in favor of responsible usage of PEDs. Here’s what he had to say (via MMAMania):
“In every sport people are using something. I mean, as long as nobody dies, nobody pulls a Chris Benoit, you know what I’m saying? I think everything is going to be fine. If it’s something that can absolutely help you, I don’t see what the problem is. Until that moment you go crazy on the person — whoever it may be — you can’t absolutely blame the…I don’t know. I guess it’s just an iffy situation.”
“If you abuse it, of course you are going to get popped for it and do stupid stuff. But if you use it the right way and you just do what you are supposed to do, then it shouldn’t be a problem…I think if you can do it, do it. I don’t have nothing against it. You know what I’m saying? As long as you don’t kill nobody.”
Of course, Johnson didn’t come out and say that he uses steroids or unapproved hormone therapy, though he indirectly cast suspicion on some of the UFC’s champions:
“I told my manager and stuff, I was like ‘Dude, I know these guys work out hard and stuff like that,’ that’s what we do, but I’m like, ‘Ain’t no way in hell anybody is supposed to go 25 minutes in a championship fight all-out like that without gassing some type of way.’” “Even if you pace yourself…Those dudes be ready for another three rounds after the five rounds. You know what I’m saying? I don’t know.”
“They got to be taking something. You got to take something, even if it’s legal or illegal. With as much training as we do, you have to take something. I mean, it doesn’t have to be illegal, but you have to do something, because you just can’t say ‘I’m going to to home and go to sleep’ and just wake up in the morning and feel better. It doesn’t work like that.”
Later in the interview, TapouT Radio host Ricky Bones asked Johnson about our recent Unsupportable Opinion column arguing for the legalization of PEDs in MMA. (Thanks for the plug, Ricky!) Johnson agreed with the premise, then suggested that if MMA fighters got paid like Major League Baseball players, fighters wouldn’t need to cheat in order to get ahead:
“[Y]ou got guys like A-Rod and all them. They making millions per game. We making a couple thousand. They look at us and be like, ‘Man that’s pocket change for me.’ Hell, I’m probably about to say something stupid but I’m about to say, either pay us like them (MLB) and then we won’t have to use it, or let us use it so we can get to that level. One or the other…Let us do something.”
To summarize, Johnson gave an interview in which he 1) Defended PED usage, 2) complained about MMA fighter pay, and 3) acknowledged the existence of CagePotato. If Dana White hasn’t chewed him out already, the hammer will be dropping soon. Stay strong, Rumble.