Tag: Testosterone

Robert Drysdale Denied License for UFC 167 Due to Absurdly Inflated T/E Ratio [UPDATED]


(Allegedly, Robert shaved his chest three hours before this photo was taken. / Photo via Getty)

For the second time since his ill-fated signing with the UFC, BJJ world champion Robert Drysdale has been forced to withdraw from a scheduled fight. In July, Drysdale pulled out of a UFC 163 match against Ednaldo Oliveira due to a “staph infection” — yes there are scare quotes around “staph infection,” we’ll get to that later — and now the undefeated light-heavyweight been denied licensure by the NSAC for his UFC 167 match against Cody Donovan, after an out-of-competition drug test came back with a 19.4:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio.

That’s more than three times the NSAC’s testing threshold of 6:1 (which is considered overly liberal in the first place), and even beats the super-inflated T/E ratios that Alistair Overeem (14:1) and Chael Sonnen (16.9:1) previously turned in. If you’re a healthy adult male, your T/E ratio is probably around 1:1. In other words, Robert Drysdale is approximately 20 times the man you are.

Drysdale’s latest drug test didn’t come back positive for steroids, and NSAC boss Keith Kizer clarified that the submission ace hasn’t been suspended or fined as a result of the failed test — at least not by the athletic commission. As we’ve seen recently, the UFC has no problem taking matters into its own hands when it comes to testosterone abusers. So will the UFC will give Drysdale another chance to get his act together, or will he become the first none-and-done fighter since Benjamin Brinsa?

Right, so about that “staph infection”…


(Allegedly, Robert shaved his chest three hours before this photo was taken. / Photo via Getty)

For the second time since his ill-fated signing with the UFC, BJJ world champion Robert Drysdale has been forced to withdraw from a scheduled fight. In July, Drysdale pulled out of a UFC 163 match against Ednaldo Oliveira due to a “staph infection” — yes there are scare quotes around “staph infection,” we’ll get to that later — and now the undefeated light-heavyweight been denied licensure by the NSAC for his UFC 167 match against Cody Donovan, after an out-of-competition drug test came back with a 19.4:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio.

That’s more than three times the NSAC’s testing threshold of 6:1 (which is considered overly liberal in the first place), and even beats the super-inflated T/E ratios that Alistair Overeem (14:1) and Chael Sonnen (16.9:1) previously turned in. If you’re a healthy adult male, your T/E ratio is probably around 1:1. In other words, Robert Drysdale is approximately 20 times the man you are.

Drysdale’s latest drug test didn’t come back positive for steroids, and NSAC boss Keith Kizer clarified that the submission ace hasn’t been suspended or fined as a result of the failed test — at least not by the athletic commission. As we’ve seen recently, the UFC has no problem taking matters into its own hands when it comes to testosterone abusers. So will the UFC will give Drysdale another chance to get his act together, or will he become the first none-and-done fighter since Benjamin Brinsa?

Right, so about that “staph infection”…

Here’s MMAJunkie with a very illuminating history about Drysdale’s history with testosterone therapy:

Less than a month before his scheduled UFC debut at UFC 163 against Ednaldo Oliveira earlier this year, [Drysdale] submitted paperwork to obtain a therapeutic-use exemption (TUE) to undergo testosterone-replacement therapy (TRT), according to documents MMAjunkie.com obtained through a public records request.

On his application, which is dated July 8, 2013, the 32-year-old Drysdale stated the TUE request was his first. He certified that he hadn’t used or was currently using banned substances and had no previous positive tests. Also included in the paperwork was a letter from a Las Vegas-based anti-aging clinic, TrimBody M.D., that stated Drysdale was taking weekly testosterone injections at the clinic to treat hypogonadism.

Additionally, a blood exam from Clinical Pathology Laboratories showed Drysdale had a free testosterone level of 156 ng/mL, which was below the testing facility’s normal range of 292 ng/mL to 1052 ng/mL. He was within the laboratory’s normal range for follicle-stimulating hormone (6.0 mIU/mL) and luteinizing hormone (2.1 mIU/mL).

Taken together, the levels are important determining factors in the diagnosis of primary or secondary hypogonadism, a condition in which the body fails to produce normal levels of testosterone. They also play a significant part in deciding whether an athlete is cleared for an exemption.

Despite filing TUE paperwork, Drysdale did not receive an exemption, according to Kizer. On July 16, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Drysdale withdrew from UFC 163, which took place Aug. 3 in Rio de Janeiro and was overseen by the Brazilian Athletic Commission, due to a staph infection.

UPDATE: Cody Donovan will remain on the UFC 167 card against replacement opponent Gian Villante.

UFC Suspends Heavyweight Ben Rothwell for Elevated Levels of Testosterone

It looks like Ben Rothwell will be spending the next nine month on the sidelines. The 35-year-old Milwaukee-based fighter recently battled his way back into the win column by knocking out Brandon Vera in the third round of their bout at UFC 164. While …

It looks like Ben Rothwell will be spending the next nine month on the sidelines. The 35-year-old Milwaukee-based fighter recently battled his way back into the win column by knocking out Brandon Vera in the third round of their bout at UFC 164. While the flurry-filled stoppage was impressive, any momentum he hoped to gain […]

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Today in TRT News: Rothwell Jumps on the Testosterone Train, Brazilian Commission Loses Its Only Accredited Testing Facility


(Doughy, smooth IFL Ben and lean, hairy UFC Ben. Man, that acai berry stuff really works wonders.)

Ben Rothwell has requested and received a Therapeutic Use Exemption for TRT at his upcoming UFC 164 bout in Milwaukee. So has former heavyweight champ Frank Mir, but he’s no stranger to the TRT TUE game.

MMA Junkie obtained the information from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services recently. According to Junkie, both fighters were not available for comment but Rothwell’s opponent Brandon Vera was.

“The Truth” was not amused. “It won’t help,” he said of Rothwell’s TRT use.

In a related story, legendary fighters and noted TRT users Vitor Belfort and Dan Henderson will indeed fight as we gave you a heads up about the other day; the match will be held at 205 pounds and it appears that neither fighter will face many obstacles in using TRT to their hearts’ content. Belfort has tested positive for a banned substance before, prompting the chief executive of the world’s most important athletic commission, the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s Keith Kizer, to opine that he didn’t think Vitor would ever be likely to receive a TUE for TRT in the state.

As states like Nevada and New Jersey go, so usually do the rest of the United States. Belfort has fought three out of his last four fights in Brazil with the other taking place in Canada. But hey, Brazil has a regulatory commission, right? They surely do: The Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA).

The doctor who serves as medical director for that commission, Marcio Tannure, recently told MMAFighting.com that “Henderson needs to send him the exams to prove his medical conditions (hypogonadism) to apply for a TRT use, and they will analyze the request,” and that Belfort has blood tested before and after fights to ensure that “his levels are good.” Usually, fighters with TUEs for TRT still have to maintain “normal” testosterone levels.

In the Southern hemisphere, the national Brazilian star Belfort is the one in good standing, his prior failed drug test not being a deterrent to CABMMA in granting him a TUE whereas Henderson, who is allowed his TUE in the states, is the one who appears to face more of a hurdle. Coincidence, I’m sure.

However, don’t expect either Belfort or Henderson to be denied TUEs for TRT because, well, CABMMA’s drug testing isn’t considered to be quite as legitimate by international standards any more. BloodyElbow has the info:


(Doughy, smooth IFL Ben and lean, hairy UFC Ben. Man, that acai berry stuff really works wonders.)

Ben Rothwell has requested and received a Therapeutic Use Exemption for TRT at his upcoming UFC 164 bout in Milwaukee. So has former heavyweight champ Frank Mir, but he’s no stranger to the TRT TUE game.

MMA Junkie obtained the information from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services recently. According to Junkie, both fighters were not available for comment but Rothwell’s opponent Brandon Vera was.

“The Truth” was not amused. “It won’t help,” he said of Rothwell’s TRT use.

In a related story, legendary fighters and noted TRT users Vitor Belfort and Dan Henderson will indeed fight as we gave you a heads up about the other day; the match will be held at 205 pounds and it appears that neither fighter will face many obstacles in using TRT to their hearts’ content. Belfort has tested positive for a banned substance before, prompting the chief executive of the world’s most important athletic commission, the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s Keith Kizer, to opine that he didn’t think Vitor would ever be likely to receive a TUE for TRT in the state.

As states like Nevada and New Jersey go, so usually do the rest of the United States. Belfort has fought three out of his last four fights in Brazil with the other taking place in Canada. But hey, Brazil has a regulatory commission, right? They surely do: The Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA).

The doctor who serves as medical director for that commission, Marcio Tannure, recently told MMAFighting.com that “Henderson needs to send him the exams to prove his medical conditions (hypogonadism) to apply for a TRT use, and they will analyze the request,” and that Belfort has blood tested before and after fights to ensure that “his levels are good.” Usually, fighters with TUEs for TRT still have to maintain “normal” testosterone levels.

In the Southern hemisphere, the national Brazilian star Belfort is the one in good standing, his prior failed drug test not being a deterrent to CABMMA in granting him a TUE whereas Henderson, who is allowed his TUE in the states, is the one who appears to face more of a hurdle. Coincidence, I’m sure.

However, don’t expect either Belfort or Henderson to be denied TUEs for TRT because, well, CABMMA’s drug testing isn’t considered to be quite as legitimate by international standards any more. BloodyElbow has the info:

“Brazil’s only WADA accredited testing facility (and thus, only truly legitimate anti-doping testing location) [was] suspended by WADA earlier this month. WADA’s release on the situation said ‘WADA has suspended the accreditation of the LAB DOP – LADETEC / IQ – UFRJ Doping Control Laboratory (LADETEC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The suspension, which is effective as of August 8, 2013, prohibits the LADETEC from carrying out any WADA-related anti-doping activities.’

“WADA stated that the lab did not meet the International Standard for Laboratories and could face full revocation of their accreditation.”

We’re not saying that either Belfort or Henderson will use TRT in ways that will result in their having higher-than-normal testosterone levels, we’re just saying that, at this point, we should all recognize the fact that there will be no one credible ensuring that they don’t when they fight November 9th. Well, at least neither fighter will be able to use the excuse of not being 100% for the bout.

– Elias Cepeda

Chael Sonnen Talks Testosterone: ‘Yes, I Took It To Get an Edge’

The argument about testosterone replacement therapy and its use in MMA continues to be a popular subject, and it inadvertently took center stage during a recent interview with Chael Sonnen when he appeared on the Jim Rome Show that will air on Showtime Wednesday night. Sonnen was part of a panel speaking about performance-enhancing drugs […]

The argument about testosterone replacement therapy and its use in MMA continues to be a popular subject, and it inadvertently took center stage during a recent interview with Chael Sonnen when he appeared on the Jim Rome Show that will air on Showtime Wednesday night. Sonnen was part of a panel speaking about performance-enhancing drugs […]

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The War on Drugs: California Ruling Strikes Down TRT Exemptions for MMA Fighters Until Further Notice


(Image via Fightland/RyanLoco)

A decision made during a California State Athletic Commission meeting in Los Angeles on Monday could have a major impact on the ongoing testosterone replacement therapy debate in MMA. Among the topics covered during the eight-hour session was a new proposed rule that would standardize the process for obtaining therapeutic use exemptions for testosterone. But the rule was successfully challenged by Department of Consumer Affairs lawyer Michael Santiago. As FightOpinion reports:

“[Santiago] said that until there is a statute/regulation on the books regarding testosterone that the commission should not be using an ‘underground’ policy of approving T usage. He argued that testosterone is considered a banned substance.

The end result is that fighters like Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, and Frank Mir will not be allowed to use testosterone while fighting in California until a law is on the books that explicitly spells out approval for T usage…[T]he UFC will be furious about this development given how many guys they have fighting in California who love testosterone. Vitor Belfort’s sympathy plea for continued testosterone usage means he won’t be fighting in California any time soon…


(Image via Fightland/RyanLoco)

A decision made during a California State Athletic Commission meeting in Los Angeles on Monday could have a major impact on the ongoing testosterone replacement therapy debate in MMA. Among the topics covered during the eight-hour session was a new proposed rule that would standardize the process for obtaining therapeutic use exemptions for testosterone. But the rule was successfully challenged by Department of Consumer Affairs lawyer Michael Santiago. As FightOpinion reports:

“[Santiago] said that until there is a statute/regulation on the books regarding testosterone that the commission should not be using an ‘underground’ policy of approving T usage. He argued that testosterone is considered a banned substance.

The end result is that fighters like Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, and Frank Mir will not be allowed to use testosterone while fighting in California until a law is on the books that explicitly spells out approval for T usage…[T]he UFC will be furious about this development given how many guys they have fighting in California who love testosterone. Vitor Belfort’s sympathy plea for continued testosterone usage means he won’t be fighting in California any time soon…

Santiago’s position will now put UFC in an interesting dilemma — will they huff and bluff by backing away from running shows in California or will they accept the new reality on the ground? If UFC backs away from California, it will cost the commission’s budget big time. UFC wants to talk tough about testosterone usage now, so let’s see if they will back up their public talk by walking the walk with future California events.”

At the moment, the UFC does not have any events scheduled in the state of California through September, and you have to wonder if they’ll keep their distance for the time being, if only to save themselves the hassle. Though UFC president Dana White has come out strongly against hormone-replacement therapy among fighters in his promotion, marquee fighters like Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, and Chael Sonnen continue to use TRT as a prerequisite for competition.

The good news is, the California ruling could be the first real step towards a more level playing field in the sport. We’ll keep you posted.

Brian Bowles Fails UFC 160 Drug Test


(Bowles in happier times)

In case you missed it, nation, not all UFC 160 fighters passed their post-fight drug tests. Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Keith Kizer let us know yesterday that former champion Brian Bowles has some ‘splaining to do.

Regarding UFC 160, Kizer wrote in an email that “All athletes tested.  All results negative, except Brian Bowles tested positive for an elevated T/E ratio (> 20).  A complaint will be forthcoming.”

First off, let’s just highlight the fact that Kizer said that all fighters on the UFC 160 card were tested. Used to be that only a select few were ever tested following bouts, you might remember. For some time now, however, the NSAC has been testing all fighters on a given card. Ain’t no Canadian loopholes in Nevada, we suppose.

Back to Bowles – The failed test is just an extra bummer for him. He returned to action for the first time since 2011 at UFC 160 and lost via TKO to George Roop. No one seems to really be able to truly explain the precise significance of what elevated testosterone to epitestosterone ratios mean, but we do know that athletes can sure get in trouble for having them.

A complaint from the NSAC will soon be filed against Bowles and his license to fight is presumably temporarily suspended until he has a hearing before the regulatory body to explain himself and the test results. At that point, the commission could decide to do any number of things with Bowles from reinstating his license immediately to suspending him for a specific period of time and fining him a portion of his UFC 160 purse.

Bowles has now lost two in a row. Thus far, he hasn’t appeared to comment publicly on the test results.  We’ll keep you posted as more news develops.

– Elias Cepeda


(Bowles in happier times)

In case you missed it, nation, not all UFC 160 fighters passed their post-fight drug tests. Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Keith Kizer let us know yesterday that former champion Brian Bowles has some ‘splaining to do.

Regarding UFC 160, Kizer wrote in an email that “All athletes tested.  All results negative, except Brian Bowles tested positive for an elevated T/E ratio (> 20).  A complaint will be forthcoming.”

First off, let’s just highlight the fact that Kizer said that all fighters on the UFC 160 card were tested. Used to be that only a select few were ever tested following bouts, you might remember. For some time now, however, the NSAC has been testing all fighters on a given card. Ain’t no Canadian loopholes in Nevada, we suppose.

Back to Bowles – The failed test is just an extra bummer for him. He returned to action for the first time since 2011 at UFC 160 and lost via TKO to George Roop. No one seems to really be able to truly explain the precise significance of what elevated testosterone to epitestosterone ratios mean, but we do know that athletes can sure get in trouble for having them.

A complaint from the NSAC will soon be filed against Bowles and his license to fight is presumably temporarily suspended until he has a hearing before the regulatory body to explain himself and the test results. At that point, the commission could decide to do any number of things with Bowles from reinstating his license immediately to suspending him for a specific period of time and fining him a portion of his UFC 160 purse.

Bowles has now lost two in a row. Thus far, he hasn’t appeared to comment publicly on the test results.  We’ll keep you posted as more news develops.

– Elias Cepeda