Tag: TRT

Quote of the Day: If it Were Up to Dana White, TRT Would Be Illegal


(Then again, it seems to be working out pretty well for Clay Guida so far.) 

Hell must have frozen over, because for once, we are in agreement with Dana White.

We’re not going to waste your time by recounting all of the endless press the issue of testosterone replacement therapy has received as of late, which would take us no less than twenty pages to complete. But needless to say, guys like Frank Mir are proving that damn near anyone can receive a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for TRT if they are willing to fill out the proper paperwork, and we’ve only begun to see the amount of fighters who will likely begin to hop on that bandwagon as time goes on.

But with his win at UFC 148, Anderson Silva basically proved that a vicious knee trumps TRT nearly 100 percent of the time, a notion that the UFC President really wishes he could drive home in one way or another. White recently sat down with ESPN’s Todd Grisham to discuss everything from fighter pay rates to the absolute sack of horseshit that was the Manny Pacquiao/Timothy Bradley decision. Being the polarizing subject that TRT is, Grisham brought up the possibility of the UFC having two fighters currently using testosterone as champions, were Chael Sonnen to defeat Silva and Dan Henderson to defeat Jon Jones, and what White would think of that. And we gotta say, we were rather impressed with Dana’s level-headed response. It was almost as if he had considered both sides of the story, rather than lashing out with personal attacks at the first person to speak up about a slightly sensitive issue. Like we said, the sky must be falling.

A full video interview is below. 


(Then again, it seems to be working out pretty well for Clay Guida so far.) 

Hell must have frozen over, because for once, we are in agreement with Dana White.

We’re not going to waste your time by recounting all of the endless press the issue of testosterone replacement therapy has received as of late, which would take us no less than twenty pages to complete. But needless to say, guys like Frank Mir are proving that damn near anyone can receive a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for TRT if they are willing to fill out the proper paperwork, and we’ve only begun to see the amount of fighters who will likely begin to hop on that bandwagon as time goes on.

But with his win at UFC 148, Anderson Silva basically proved that a vicious knee trumps TRT nearly 100 percent of the time, a notion that the UFC President really wishes he could drive home in one way or another. White recently sat down with ESPN’s Todd Grisham to discuss everything from fighter pay rates to the absolute sack of horseshit that was the Manny Pacquiao/Timothy Bradley decision. Being the polarizing subject that TRT is, Grisham brought up the possibility of the UFC having two fighters currently using testosterone as champions, were Chael Sonnen to defeat Silva and Dan Henderson to defeat Jon Jones, and what White would think of that. And we gotta say, we were rather impressed with Dana’s level-headed response. It was almost as if he had considered both sides of the story, rather than lashing out with personal attacks at the first person to speak up about a slightly sensitive issue. Like we said, the sky must be falling.

White’s response to the question, which comes at the 8:55 mark, went like this:

The bottom line is, the way that this TRT works, it’s absolutely 100 percent legal with the – let me explain one more thing. We’re regulated by the government. We’re really the only sport that’s actually regulated by the government and the government allows these guys to do this TRT. And basically over the next 10 years, sports science keeps getting better and better and better and the way that TRT works is as we get older your testosterone level drops, and this (TRT) is to replace it. The problem with it is, you got guys going ‘well if this much is good, this (more) must be great. That’s the problem and you will find guys that cheat even with the stuff that’s legal. 

White continued that if you need to find a case against TRT usage, look no further than middleweight champ and pound for pound GOAT Anderson Silva:

That’s what we’re trying to – you make a good point and Anderson Silva said it at the press conference the other day. Anderson Silva, the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world has broke every record in the UFC and is the greatest fighter ever in mixed martial arts. He’s 38 years old, people don’t realize that, he’s not 28, he’s 38, and he’s not doing testosterone replacement therapy. This guy comes in 100 percent natural and he beats everybody. And something should be said for that, I don’t disagree. You know the guys who are using testosterone replacement therapy going up against a guy who isn’t, and this guy’s still the greatest in the world. So to me, the bottom line is you don’t need that junk. If you don’t abuse stuff earlier in your career, you’ll never need to use that kind of junk.

When asked if the decision were up to him regarding the legality of TRT in MMA (or at least the UFC), White stated that it would in fact be illegal.

As we’ve already heard from guys like former Heavy/Light Heavyweight champion Randy Couture, the potential pitfalls of TRT by far outweigh the benefits, and are becoming popular not out of necessity, but out of a desire to feel young again. Then again, Sonnen has shown that TRT can have a hell of an effect on the decision-making process, so maybe the natural fighters of the world would actually prefer to fight guys who are so confident in themselves as a result of “therapy” that they throw techniques well beyond their abilities. But what do you think, Potato Nation?

–J. Jones

Thursday Link Dump: Mike Tyson Wants Higher Pay for MMA Fighters, Bisping Picks Sonnen for the Upset, Britney and Arianny Enjoy the Holiday + More


(Four badasses…and Tim Tebow. / Click for full-size version. Props: TerezOwens)

– Michael Bisping Says Chael Sonnen Will Defeat Anderson Silva at UFC 148 (BleacherReport/MMA)

– Mike Tyson Says MMA Fighters Should Be Paid More, But Warns of Predatory ‘Scumbags’ (MMAFighting)

– Britney and Arianny’s Exclusive 4th of July Photo Shoot (The Chive)

– Video: Chael Sonnen Watches Himself Lose to Anderson Silva at UFC 117 (MMAMania)

– Chad Mendes Says Loss To Jose Aldo Helped Him, Discusses Aldo vs. Koch (Fightline)

– Strikeforce Champ Rousey Enlists Lucia Rijker as Striking Coach Ahead of Kaufman Bout (MMAJunkie)

– The Top 5 UFC Rematches Of All Time (HeavyMMA)

– Chael Sonnen Says He’ll Die Without TRT (FightersOnly)

– The Sickest Athletes of the 2012 NBA Draft (MensFitness)

– DV Hottie of the Week: Genevieve, a Gorgeous Blonde (DoubleViking)

– How Will Scientology Assassinate Katie Holmes? A Screen Junkies How-To (ScreenJunkies)

– 7 Reality Shows That Could Be the Best Shows Ever (HolyTaco)


(Four badasses…and Tim Tebow. / Click for full-size version. Props: TerezOwens)

– Michael Bisping Says Chael Sonnen Will Defeat Anderson Silva at UFC 148 (BleacherReport/MMA)

– Mike Tyson Says MMA Fighters Should Be Paid More, But Warns of Predatory ‘Scumbags’ (MMAFighting)

– Britney and Arianny’s Exclusive 4th of July Photo Shoot (The Chive)

– Video: Chael Sonnen Watches Himself Lose to Anderson Silva at UFC 117 (MMAMania)

– Chad Mendes Says Loss To Jose Aldo Helped Him, Discusses Aldo vs. Koch (Fightline)

– Strikeforce Champ Rousey Enlists Lucia Rijker as Striking Coach Ahead of Kaufman Bout (MMAJunkie)

– The Top 5 UFC Rematches Of All Time (HeavyMMA)

– Chael Sonnen Says He’ll Die Without TRT (FightersOnly)

– The Sickest Athletes of the 2012 NBA Draft (MensFitness)

– DV Hottie of the Week: Genevieve, a Gorgeous Blonde (DoubleViking)

– How Will Scientology Assassinate Katie Holmes? A Screen Junkies How-To (ScreenJunkies)

– 7 Reality Shows That Could Be the Best Shows Ever (HolyTaco)

Oh Snap! Dr. Johnny Benjamin Claims Sonnen’s Hypogonadism is the Result of Past Steroid Use


(If you’ve ever seen the kind of bedbugs that Oakland produces, then you’d be less inclined to call Chael a cheater is all we’re saying.)

Well, well, well. As if it wasn’t bad enough that a mild-mannered, unassuming guy like Chael Sonnen lost *his* UFC middleweight championship due to a misunderstanding of the rules back at UFC 117, and shortly thereafter found himself thrust into the center of an elaborate conspiracy (that’s right, conspiracy) that attempted to invalidate the four and a half round ass whooping he laid out on Anderson Silva, now he has this to deal with this. The poor guy.

You see, Potato Nation, when you become the best at something, be it sports, politics, or whatever else, the common folk can’t help but become jealous of your accomplishments, to the point that they will go out of their way to try and discredit what you have worked so hard to achieve. Such was the case for Herman Cain, and now it appears that none other than HH Chael Sonnen has found himself in the public’s crosshairs as well. As we all know, Sonnen is the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, bar none, and because of this, everyone with a University of Phoenix Health Care degree is trying to use their “science” to tear him down. Even though he was granted a therapeutic use exemption to help him deal with his inability to produce testosterone, a real, crippling disease that many MMA fighters face, haters are still coming out of the woodwork to try and soil the name of a man who literally defines “upstanding citizen” with his every action.

Today’s mountebank is none other than MMAJunkies go-to medicine man, Dr. Johnny Benjamin, who boldly claimed that the only reason Sonnen’s body cannot produce the testosterone it should is due to the fact that he definitely used steroids in the past. Here’s what he told BloodyElbow:

Was Chael Sonnen a big time collegiate wrestler? Yes he was. I’m going to opine and say to you, there’s no way in the world you get to the level of collegiate wrestling that Chael Sonnen was at, with hypogonadism. Let me explain to you why. Hypogonadism means that the testes did not produce enough testosterone for one to normally mature. He wasn’t on TRT as a teenager. He became this big, muscled up monster and NCAA wrestler with hypogonadism? Hell no.


(If you’ve ever seen the kind of bedbugs that Oakland produces, then you’d be less inclined to call Chael a cheater is all we’re saying.)

Well, well, well. As if it wasn’t bad enough that a mild-mannered, unassuming guy like Chael Sonnen lost *his* UFC middleweight championship due to a misunderstanding of the rules back at UFC 117, and shortly thereafter found himself thrust into the center of an elaborate conspiracy (that’s right, conspiracy) that attempted to invalidate the four and a half round ass whooping he laid out on Anderson Silva, now he has this to deal with this. The poor guy.

You see, Potato Nation, when you become the best at something, be it sports, politics, or whatever else, the common folk can’t help but become jealous of your accomplishments, to the point that they will go out of their way to try and discredit what you have worked so hard to achieve. Such was the case for Herman Cain, and now it appears that none other than HH Chael Sonnen has found himself in the public’s crosshairs as well. As we all know, Sonnen is the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, bar none, and because of this, everyone with a University of Phoenix Health Care degree is trying to use their “science” to tear him down. Even though he was granted a therapeutic use exemption to help him deal with his inability to produce testosterone, a real, crippling disease that many MMA fighters face, haters are still coming out of the woodwork to try and soil the name of a man who literally defines “upstanding citizen” with his every action.

Today’s mountebank is none other than MMAJunkies go-to medicine man, Dr. Johnny Benjamin, who boldly claimed that the only reason Sonnen’s body cannot produce the testosterone it should is due to the fact that he definitely used steroids in the past. Here’s what he told BloodyElbow:

Was Chael Sonnen a big time collegiate wrestler? Yes he was. I’m going to opine and say to you, there’s no way in the world you get to the level of collegiate wrestling that Chael Sonnen was at, with hypogonadism. Let me explain to you why. Hypogonadism means that the testes did not produce enough testosterone for one to normally mature. He wasn’t on TRT as a teenager. He became this big, muscled up monster and NCAA wrestler with hypogonadism? Hell no.

The truth of the matter is, you could never get to that level, because you’re not going to have the muscle mass and strength to get you there. They’re going to run you over. Your body will not allow you to develop enough muscle and strength to compete at your size. If he has hypogonadism, it’s from one thing, and one thing only, because he treated himself with steroids in the past, and wrecked his testes. That’s it.

We may be out of line here, “Dr.” Benjamin, but how dare you. To think that a straight-laced guy like Chael would even consider taking advantage of the system is not only shocking, but could be considered slander as well.

Obviously we’re only kidding here, as Benjamin’s claims, though lacking actual proof, aren’t exactly outside the realm of possibility when dealing with a habitual line stepper such as Sonnen. But what does that mean for guys like Dan Henderson, Frank Mir, and the other MMA fighters that have applied for TRT exemption? All of them couldn’t have used roids in the past, right? Oh how the plot thickens.

And when asked about the possibility of the UFC drug testing its own athletes, as Dana White recently stated was on the horizon for the organization, Dr. Benjamin stated that it could only lead to more corruption within the drug testing circuit:

 It’s a conflict of interest. If you’re going to look like you’re a fair organization that’s trying to create a level playing field for everyone, then you can’t do it yourself. The problem is, our big guys never test positive, but your fringe guys do, and get exposed.

If you know something that may wreck the biggest name in your sport, and you’re the only one that knows, will you expose it? If the guys who are the very biggest draws test positive, would you report it? It’s like if a tree falls in the woods, did it make a noise. It’s a real gut check at that point. You’re going to ruin a whole card if your main event guy tests positive? You can’t put yourself in that position. You have to let somebody else do it, and if a test is positive, it’s positive. You never touched it. You’ve got nothing to do with it. You’re not protecting or shielding anyone.

Dr. Benjamin definitely makes another good point here, and one that I hadn’t really considered when thinking over this issue. Imagine if Alistair Overeem’s horsepiss was caught by the UFC and the UFC alone. Do you think that they’d cost themselves one of the biggest cards/matchups of the year due to a high T/E ratio? Methinks not.

But what say you, Potato Nation?

–J. Jones

[VIDEO] Randy Couture Comes Out Against TRT, Talks Junior Dos Santos and The Expendables 2


(Titty Relaxation Therapy > Testosterone Replacement Therapy any day of the week.) 

Randy Couture has made some pretty bold claims ever since retiring (again) from the sport, a few of which have left more than a few fans scratching their heads, and others writing it off as pure senility. It’s comforting, however, to see that a guy who fought in the sport’s highest promotion until he was 47 years old take a stance on the TRT issue that has seemingly plagued the UFC’s finest as of late. With everyone from Frank Mir to Dan Henderson seeking and/or receiving therapeutic use exemptions for TRT, as well as guys like Nate Marquardt suddenly claiming that they no longer need it, most people can’t make heads or tails of the legitimacy of the increasingly popular issue.

Luckily “Captain America” is here to put things in perspective:

You know, I understand it. There’s this whole movement out there for anti-aging. It started out with guys in their 50’s who, naturally as you get older, your testosterone levels deplete. Your body quits producing more, and they want to feel and recover and do the things they did when they were younger. I understand that.

But I think there are natural ways to jumpstart your body’s own production rather than put an external source of testosterone in your body. And I think putting the external in only compounds the issues that your already having. I think the problem…obviously Chael, Marquardt, there’s been several athletes that have been using TRT.

I think for them, it’s not a function of having depleted levels of testosterone, it’s wanting to have testosterone levels of a 21 year old again, because when you were 21, let’s face it, you recovered better, you’re probably gonna compete better, especially if you’re 32 and have that experience going into a fight. 

Couture goes on to mention several of the methods he used to stay young at heart, which included marrying, then divorcing lunatics at least ten years his junior on the regular. True dat, brother.

Join us after the jump for the full interview. 


(Titty Relaxation Therapy > Testosterone Replacement Therapy any day of the week.) 

Randy Couture has made some pretty bold claims ever since retiring (again) from the sport, a few of which have left more than a few fans scratching their heads, and others writing it off as pure senility. It’s comforting, however, to see that a guy who fought in the sport’s highest promotion until he was 47 years old take a stance on the TRT issue that has seemingly plagued the UFC’s finest as of late. With everyone from Frank Mir to Dan Henderson seeking and/or receiving therapeutic use exemptions for TRT, as well as guys like Nate Marquardt suddenly claiming that they no longer need it, most people can’t make heads or tails of the legitimacy of the increasingly popular issue.

Luckily “Captain America” is here to put things in perspective:

You know, I understand it. There’s this whole movement out there for anti-aging. It started out with guys in their 50′s who, naturally as you get older, your testosterone levels deplete. Your body quits producing more, and they want to feel and recover and do the things they did when they were younger. I understand that.

But I think there are natural ways to jumpstart your body’s own production rather than put an external source of testosterone in your body. And I think putting the external in only compounds the issues that your already having. I think the problem…obviously Chael, Marquardt, there’s been several athletes that have been using TRT.

I think for them, it’s not a function of having depleted levels of testosterone, it’s wanting to have testosterone levels of a 21 year old again, because when you were 21, let’s face it, you recovered better, you’re probably gonna compete better, especially if you’re 32 and have that experience going into a fight. 

Couture goes on to mention several of the methods he used to stay young at heart, which included marrying, then divorcing lunatics at least ten years his junior on the regular. True dat, brother.

But Couture’s greatest bit of wisdom on TRT came when he simply stated that the positives are by far outweighed by the negatives:

[MMA Commissions] designate what the top line is for a natural human being, and unfortunately, if you get carried away with TRT, you’re gonna cross that line and you’re gonna come up positive in a test. 

In our profession, to be banned from making a living for probably a year, and trashing your reputation, it’s really not worth it. 

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why Couture is one of the guys you go to when you’re trying to make sense of things. Because, like your war-hardened Grandpa, he can both school you in a debate on almost any subject and still kick your ass if things get physical.

Speaking of grandfathers, for those of you hoping that Couture was just biding his time before he attempts to become the first AARP card-holding heavyweight champion, we are sorry to inform you that Couture “doesn’t want any part” of Junior dos Santos. He also states that he picked Mir to win over dos Santos, proving that some of those senility theorists might just be onto something.

–J. Jones

Frank Mir Received a TUE For UFC 146, And Other Disheartening Facts From The Week in MMA


(So I sez to da brod, “Chael sent me,” and she just hands the needles right ova!!) 

To say that it has been a disturbing week in the world almost does too much justice for the term “disturbing.” It has been an abhorring week. There have been two cases of zombie-like acts of cannibalism reported in the past few days alone. Two. If you can stomach it, see for yourself what the human race is still capable of. Being a bit of a paranoid, Burt Gummer-esque survivalist at heart, upon hearing this news, I immediately took to the stocked gun cabinet that rests in the dining room of my countryside abode, stepped outside, and began target practicing on squirrels, chipmunks, and whatever else happened to cross my path. Because this is how it begins, people. You know, the stuff those guys in face paint and textiles told us would happen so many years ago. And I hate to be a dick, but I warned you fuckers. Many, many times. And you just didn’t want to listen.

Self whoring aside, I’d like to think that when the news in the real world gets me down, I can always turn to the world of MMA/combat sports for a little bit of solace, be it in the form of a fantastic knockout, a discussion with friends, or a news story that makes me smile from ear to ear. So you can imagine my disappointment when I came across yet another story of a mixed martial artist, this time Frank Mir, hopping on the TRT bandwagon.

I’ll admit, I found it a little odd when Frank told Ariel Helwani that he didn’t want to discuss the matter in the interviews leading up to his UFC 146 clash with Junior Dos Santos, because let’s be honest, when is there ever something that Frank Mir doesn’t want to talk about? BloodyElbow’s Brent Brookhouse seems to agree with this sentiment, and Mir’s avoidance of the issue makes so much more sense in retrospect.


(So I sez to da brod, “Chael sent me,” and she just hands the needles right ova!!) 

To say that it has been a disturbing week in the world almost does too much justice for the term “disturbing.” It has been an abhorring week. There have been two cases of zombie-like acts of cannibalism reported in the past few days alone. Two. If you can stomach it, see for yourself what the human race is still capable of. Being a bit of a paranoid, Burt Gummer-esque survivalist at heart, upon hearing this news, I immediately took to the stocked gun cabinet that rests in the dining room of my countryside abode, stepped outside, and began target practicing on squirrels, chipmunks, and whatever else happened to cross my path. Because this is how it begins, people. You know, the stuff those guys in face paint and textiles told us would happen so many years ago. And I hate to be a dick, but I warned you fuckers. Many, many times. And you just didn’t want to listen.

Self whoring aside, I’d like to think that when the news in the real world gets me down, I can always turn to the world of MMA/combat sports for a little bit of solace, be it in the form of a fantastic knockout, a discussion with friends, or a news story that makes me smile from ear to ear. So you can imagine my disappointment when I came across yet another story of a mixed martial artist, this time Frank Mir, hopping on the TRT bandwagon.

I’ll admit, I found it a little odd when Frank told Ariel Helwani that he didn’t want to discuss the matter in the interviews leading up to his UFC 146 clash with Junior Dos Santos, because let’s be honest, when is there ever something that Frank Mir doesn’t want to talk about? BloodyElbow’s Brent Brookhouse seems to agree with this sentiment, and Mir’s avoidance of the issue makes so much more sense in retrospect.

Here’s a video of the interview for those of you too lazy to click a link. The topic in question comes up around the 1:12 mark.

And like Brookehouse also stated, I’m not going to rant about this revelation. I will say, however, that I’m not buying it. I was always weary in regards to which fighters, if any, truly needed testosterone replacement therapy to compete in the first place, and now that these exemptions are seemingly being handed out as easily as medicinal marijuana cards in California, I’m officially calling bullshit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the use/legalization/mass distribution of the sticky-icky, but trying to convince me that professional fighters (especially massive heavyweights like Mir) are somehow lacking testosterone simply ain’t gonna happen. Does that make me a hypocrite? Probably. Ignorant? Sure, but that’s just my view. I’m not saying it’s the correct one, but I am saying that Keith Kizer already predicted that more and more fighters would be applying for these “exemptions” once they became available.

Don’t think I fail to see the irony in following up a statement about how I won’t rant…with a rant.

But as it is, creator and host of Pro MMA Radio, Larry Pepe, was the first to break the news, when he tweeted the following:

NSAC’s Keith Kizer confirmed to me that Frank Mir met all requirements for & received TUE for TRT for UFC 146 fight against JDS.

Again, I’d like to ask what exactly these requirements are, but if it takes half as long to explain as it does to hand out a year suspension for marijuana metabolites, which is a long God damn time, then I’ll pass.

And speaking of our favorite ADHD patient, today’s second sickening revelation comes during the fallout of Nick Diaz’s aforementioned suspension.

NSAC Recap: Chael Sonnen Granted TUE, Nick Diaz Receives 12 Month Suspension

Anderson Silva Chael Sonnen UFC 117
(Negative side effects of TRT: Bacne. Positive side effects: Falcon Punch.) 

My God, today’s NSAC meeting, which determined both Chael Sonnen’s future ability to continue legal injecting steroids testosterone replacement therapy and Nick Diaz’s minimum retirement length was like watching Lawrence of Arabia, twice, minus all of the train explosions and shots of interesting desert landscapes. To describe the six hour hearing in a word: humdrum. Thankfully, we’ll be much briefer in summing up what went down.

To kick off the afternoon, Sonnen was successful in achieving a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone replacement therapy, and now joins the like of Dan Henderson, Todd Duffee, and Shane Roller in the select group of MMA fighters to receive an exemption from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. As far as interesting developments go, Sonnen admitted that he injected himself with testosterone, stating, “I administer two times a week, every Sunday and Thursday. It’s self-injected intermusculatory and [I] consider it to be a prescription.” When Commissioner Pat Lundvall asked why Sonnen had never listed using testosterone on his medical forms over the past few years, Sonnen stated that he was under the impression that it wasn’t something that needed to be disclosed. He also stated under oath that he “has never taken anabolic steroids.”

In another interesting moment, which took place before the hearing truly began, Keith Kizer likened TRT to “the new Viagra” as doctors continue to push it on the population and that “Therapuetic Use Exemptions do not allow you to test outside of normal ranges. It only allows for presence of synthetics.” Does this make Sonnen TRT’s Smiling Bob? Only time will tell.

Anderson Silva Chael Sonnen UFC 117
(Negative side effects of TRT: Bacne. Positive side effects: Falcon Punch.) 

My God, today’s NSAC meeting, which determined both Chael Sonnen’s future ability to continue legal injecting steroids testosterone replacement therapy and Nick Diaz’s minimum retirement length was like watching Lawrence of Arabia, twice, minus all of the train explosions and shots of interesting desert landscapes. To describe the six hour hearing in a word: humdrum. Thankfully, we’ll be much briefer in summing up what went down.

To kick off the afternoon, Sonnen was successful in achieving a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone replacement therapy, and now joins the like of Dan Henderson, Todd Duffee, and Shane Roller in the select group of MMA fighters to receive an exemption from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. As far as interesting developments go, Sonnen admitted that he injected himself with testosterone, stating, ”I administer two times a week, every Sunday and Thursday. It’s self-injected intermusculatory and [I] consider it to be a prescription.” When Commissioner Pat Lundvall asked why Sonnen had never listed using testosterone on his medical forms over the past few years, Sonnen stated that he was under the impression that it wasn’t something that needed to be disclosed. He also stated under oath that he “has never taken anabolic steroids.”

In another interesting moment, which took place before the hearing truly began, Keith Kizer likened TRT to “the new Viagra” as doctors continue to push it on the population and that “Therapuetic Use Exemptions do not allow you to test outside of normal ranges. It only allows for presence of synthetics.” Does this make Sonnen TRT’s Smiling Bob? Only time will tell.

And with that, Sonnen was granted an exemption on the grounds that he will undergo several blood tests both before and after UFC 148 to monitor his injections. The commission then asked if Sonnen would help them as an adviser on TRT in the future, which he gladly accepted.

Let’s move on to Diaz, who, true to form, did not pull any punches when answering his questions. When asked approximately when he began smoking marijuana again after his 2007 hearing with the NSAC, something Diaz swore he would never do again during said hearing, Diaz admitting to smoking weed pretty much immediately afterward upon returning home. Twenty-four year old Dave Chapelle approves. But the main issue was not when exactly Diaz had started dating Mary Jane again, or how early he broke it off with her before his fight with Carlos Condit at UFC 143, but rather why he lied on his pre-fight questionnaire when he stated that he was not taking any prescription or over-the-counter drugs at the time. The argument Diaz and lawyer Les Grossman attempted to make was an old stand-by for Diaz: ignorance.

According to Diaz and Grossman, Diaz was not aware that his marijuana usage did in fact fall under the terms of either prescription or OTC usage, simply because Diaz did not think his medically diagnosed ADHD was serious enough to be listed on the questionnaire. Also, being that Diaz neither obtained his medical marijuana through a prescription or over-the-counter means, but rather through a doctor’s statement, that Diaz should not be held entirely accountable for his actions. Diaz stated that he often obtained his medical marijuana through other friends who also had physician statements (yeah, same here bro) or at cannabis dispensaries located near his home, whichever was more convenient. Diaz also stated that he was diagnosed with ADHD in the second grade, and that although he began smoking pot for purely recreational purposes, looking back, he considered it more therapeutic than anything.

Although the commission wasn’t exactly out to make Diaz look like a fool, and seemed more than willing to hear his argument, their deliberation was so short that I could barely step outside to help cure my own self-diagnosed eating disorder, if you know what I mean, before the ruling had been handed down.

12 months, and thirty percent of Diaz’s UFC 143 purse and bonus.

Combine that with Grossman’s substantial fees, and that sure doesn’t leave him a whole lot to retire on, so expect to see Diaz back in the octagon once his suspension is up. Hopefully he’ll show up for the fight this time.

–J. Jones