Tag: UFC 161

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is one of the most controversial topics in MMA today, but one of the best-known users of the treatment, former two-division Pride champion, former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and frequent UFC title contender, Dan Henderson, took a break from the anger-inspiring procedure before his fight at UFC 161.

 

This is not especially surprising.

 

Earlier this week, word came out from the Manitoba Combative Sports Commission (the governing body of MMA in Manitoba, Canada) that there were no Theraputic-Use Exemptions (TUE) handed out for the event.

 

A TUE is required for TRT use with North American athletic commissions, or the fighter is subject to fines and suspensions, which was quite surprising, as Henderson’s use of TRT is well-documented, and has been receiving TUEs since 2007.

 

When asked about this, Henderson opened up to MMAJunkie.com.

 

“It didn’t look like they would approve it, so I just quit taking testosterone,” he said. “I stopped about six to eight weeks out. I was told by my doctor that wouldn’t be a problem at all. I wasn’t using that much, anyway.”

 

Henderson was diagnosed with hypogonadism, commonly referred to as low testosterone, several years ago. This ailment can be caused by a number of factors, including age, head trauma and steroid use. At 42 years old, with 15 years of professional MMA experience under his belt, and with no history of PED use, most MMA fans accept the TRT use of “Hendo,” a courtesy which has not been extended to the likes of Vitor Belfort or Chael Sonnen.

 

Still, Henderson found himself unlikely to receive a TUE in Winnipeg, saying, “they won’t approve it unless you can prove a physical problem with your body that would explain why you need it…they weren’t going to approve me, so I didn’t even apply for it.”

 

While fans are quick to prop up TRT as a king-making wonder drug, other users like Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Forrest Griffin and Frank Mir have had minimal success since undergoing treatment. Henderson off TRT looked very similar to Henderson on TRT: “I didn’t feel too big of a difference…I was a little tired here and there, but that’s not too different from all my other training camps.”

 

Henderson was also quick to brush off any allegation that TRT has a major impact on his performance.

 

“It’s hard to tell, I never noticed a huge difference,” he said. “I just know my doctor says it’s healthier for me. I know I was getting sick less often when taking TRT and I seemed to have more energy…I work my ass off with or without it.” Henderson lost the fight to Rashad Evans via split decision, and did not look any better or worse than he did when he fought Lyoto Machida in February. 

 

Ultimately, this development will likely do very little to change any perception of TRT use in MMA. Again, Henderson’s sterling reputation, experience and age makes him one of the fighters that fans willingly accept as a “legitimate” TRT user.

 

Even so, this is a case that people can look back to when discussing this hot-button issue.

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The drug test results for last month’s UFC 161 card in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, have been returned with no fighters testing positive for banned substances.

According to an email received by Bleacher Report from the Manitoba Combative Sports Commission, who oversaw the June 15 event, a total of 10 fighters from the card were tested and all returned with negative results.

There were a total of 22 fighters competing that night, so just under half were drug tested by the commission.

In addition to the drug test results, the commission also verified that no fighters on the UFC 161 fight card received a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) prior to the event. TUEs are given to fighters for a number of medical reasons, most notably known in MMA for competitors who use testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

Fighters who are on TRT are required to disclose the information to the commission ahead of time and receive an exemption to be allowed to use the treatment leading up to the show. Any fighter who receives a TUE still has to test within the legal limits for testosterone or any other drug that is approved to use before a bout.

The reason why this is such an interesting side note for UFC 161 was the participation of former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and noted TRT user Dan Henderson.

Henderson has never shied away from his use of TRT as a result of being diagnosed with hypogonadism, which leads to lower testosterone. He has been approved to use the treatment since 2007, with commissions in areas like Nevada and Ohio approving and overseeing the procedures.

Henderson even openly talked about his TRT use ahead of UFC 161 when speaking with Yahoo! Sports while advocating for stronger drug testing across the board for MMA:

I would welcome random drug testing for everybody, not just for a few. Do it for everybody in the sport, and that would help to clean up the sport quite a bit. Threatening them with the idea that someone could knock on your door without any notice and make you pee in a cup would make a big difference.

A follow-up message was sent to the Manitoba commission on Tuesday asking for clarification about Henderson because he has openly discussed his use of TRT and received TUEs several times in the past.

“We are not able to comment on specific individuals medical information at this time due to Provincial Privacy Legislation,” commission representative Joel Fingard told Bleacher Report via email. “I believe we indicated no TUE’s were granted for any fighters on UFC 161.”

Henderson has not commented on the situation or made a statement as to whether or not he discontinued his use of TRT before the fight or if there was some kind of clerical mistake by the commission for this fight card.

The last time Henderson dropped off TRT, his testosterone dropped well below the normal levels for athletes tested in MMA. According to testing results published in the same Yahoo! report, Henderson stopped using TRT in 2010 for two months and his testosterone levels came back much lower than normal (normal levels are between 250-1100, and during his test in 2010 he scored a 168).

Henderson has never tested positive for banned substances or elevated levels of testosterone during his entire MMA career.

 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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