Steroids in Pride Fighting
One of the more controversial aspects of Pride Fighting Championships was that some of the fighters were suspected of taking steroids. There was no drug testing in Pride Fighting and it is highly likely that some of the fighters may have taken advantage of that policy. Should we be upset by this? Not really. I’m actually glad Pride never had a drug testing policy.
Why does it matter if the fighters are on steroids or not? Pride fighting was about seeing the toughest, most skilled, and baddest men on the planet fight it out honorably in hand-to-hand combat. If the fighters were on steroids that only enhances things.
If both the fighters are using steroids then it evens things out. In that case we should see a pumped up, fast paced and epic fight, and a lot of Pride fights were.
The Japanese had to have been aware of this issue when they decided not to drug test fighters. But they decided to look the other way. That doesn’t make sense to most Americans, but it makes sense to me why the Japanese made that decision.
Still, I guarantee there are instances in Pride fighting where one fighter was using steroids and the other fighter wasn’t, and the guy who wasn’t using steroids won the fight.
Just because you are using steroids doesn’t mean you will automatically win the fight. A Pride fight is a just as much a mental chess match as it is a physical one. And steroids certainly do not make you smarter. This should send a message to us all. The fighters where it was more obvious they were on steroids were not the best fighters in the organization anyway, but they were usually still top contenders.
The argument is that the fighters who used steroids gave them an advantage they wouldn’t otherwise genetically have. So what? But what if a fighter is already among the genetically best and then takes steroids? His skills, speed, and strength gets even more enhanced. This is what happened in Pride. Guys who were already among the genetically best were juicing. This should be a good thing for the audience because we are seeing the baddest men on the planet compete in one of the ultimate sports of manhood at the highest skill level.
I don’t have a problem seeing men do things on steroids that they couldn’t otherwise accomplish. It shows us the potential of what human beings can physically do.
I mean c’mon people… Pride fighting had 10 minute 1st rounds. I don’t think many people realize what a ridiculous test of endurance that is until you actually try it. You will find yourself more exhausted and will get a better workout than just about any other physical activity you will ever do in life.
Anyway, I’m not sure if any of the Japanese fighters were on steroids. Their bodies didn’t look like it and also maybe because of cultural reasons. But for sure some of the fighters from all the other countries were juicing. Fedor’s body didn’t look like he was on steroids though.
Some of the more obvious fighters suspected of using steroids are Team Hammerhouse with Kevin Randleman and Mark Coleman. The veins bursting out of their bodies almost give it away. Some of Randleman’s near insane (and comical) interviews make it sound like he was definitely using steroids.
Shogun Rua and Ricardo Arona from Brazil were suspected of using as well, but it wasn’t as physically obvious. I still think that less than 50% of all Pride fighters used steroids. Some guys just didn’t need it, and some guys had good enough mental fighting knowledge to make up for not juicing.
But again does it matter? I would rather see fighters compete at the highest and most faced paced skill level than not. If steroids helps a man get to the highest level of competing, then that is fine. Especially if both guys are using steroids, then what does it matter? It makes it even more exciting.
Some of the men who competed in Pride were killing machines in hand-to-hand combat. They were truly among the baddest men on the planet, with or without steroids. Pride fighters deserve respect, and I respect all the fighters regardless of whether they used steroids or not. It really takes balls to get in the Pride ring under those rules. The fighters who competed against guys on steroids who weren’t juicing deserve maybe even more respect.
What do you think about steroids in Pride fighting or MMA in general? Does it matter to you?
I am not sure if the newer Japanese MMA organizations drug test. But the UFC definitely drug tests, and you can get in trouble for stupid things that don’t even affect your fighting ability, such as marijuana.
Written February 2013
One of the more controversial aspects of Pride Fighting Championships was that some of the fighters were suspected of taking steroids. There was no drug testing in Pride Fighting and it is highly likely that some of the fighters may have taken advantage of that policy. Should we be upset by this? Not really. I’m actually glad Pride never had a drug testing policy.
Why does it matter if the fighters are on steroids or not? Pride fighting was about seeing the toughest, most skilled, and baddest men on the planet fight it out honorably in hand-to-hand combat. If the fighters were on steroids that only enhances things.
If both the fighters are using steroids then it evens things out. In that case we should see a pumped up, fast paced and epic fight, and a lot of Pride fights were.
The Japanese had to have been aware of this issue when they decided not to drug test fighters. But they decided to look the other way. That doesn’t make sense to most Americans, but it makes sense to me why the Japanese made that decision.
Still, I guarantee there are instances in Pride fighting where one fighter was using steroids and the other fighter wasn’t, and the guy who wasn’t using steroids won the fight.
Just because you are using steroids doesn’t mean you will automatically win the fight. A Pride fight is a just as much a mental chess match as it is a physical one. And steroids certainly do not make you smarter. This should send a message to us all. The fighters where it was more obvious they were on steroids were not the best fighters in the organization anyway, but they were usually still top contenders.
The argument is that the fighters who used steroids gave them an advantage they wouldn’t otherwise genetically have. So what? But what if a fighter is already among the genetically best and then takes steroids? His skills, speed, and strength gets even more enhanced. This is what happened in Pride. Guys who were already among the genetically best were juicing. This should be a good thing for the audience because we are seeing the baddest men on the planet compete in one of the ultimate sports of manhood at the highest skill level.
I don’t have a problem seeing men do things on steroids that they couldn’t otherwise accomplish. It shows us the potential of what human beings can physically do.
I mean c’mon people… Pride fighting had 10 minute 1st rounds. I don’t think many people realize what a ridiculous test of endurance that is until you actually try it. You will find yourself more exhausted and will get a better workout than just about any other physical activity you will ever do in life.
Anyway, I’m not sure if any of the Japanese fighters were on steroids. Their bodies didn’t look like it and also maybe because of cultural reasons. But for sure some of the fighters from all the other countries were juicing. Fedor’s body didn’t look like he was on steroids though.
Some of the more obvious fighters suspected of using steroids are Team Hammerhouse with Kevin Randleman and Mark Coleman. The veins bursting out of their bodies almost give it away. Some of Randleman’s near insane (and comical) interviews make it sound like he was definitely using steroids.
Shogun Rua and Ricardo Arona from Brazil were suspected of using as well, but it wasn’t as physically obvious. I still think that less than 50% of all Pride fighters used steroids. Some guys just didn’t need it, and some guys had good enough mental fighting knowledge to make up for not juicing.
But again does it matter? I would rather see fighters compete at the highest and most faced paced skill level than not. If steroids helps a man get to the highest level of competing, then that is fine. Especially if both guys are using steroids, then what does it matter? It makes it even more exciting.
Some of the men who competed in Pride were killing machines in hand-to-hand combat. They were truly among the baddest men on the planet, with or without steroids. Pride fighters deserve respect, and I respect all the fighters regardless of whether they used steroids or not. It really takes balls to get in the Pride ring under those rules. The fighters who competed against guys on steroids who weren’t juicing deserve maybe even more respect.
What do you think about steroids in Pride fighting or MMA in general? Does it matter to you?
I am not sure if the newer Japanese MMA organizations drug test. But the UFC definitely drug tests, and you can get in trouble for stupid things that don’t even affect your fighting ability, such as marijuana.
Written February 2013
