There was a period in UFC history where fighters were capable of get away with taking an infamous drug, which helped boost their performance.
Although some fans may not imagine it to be the case, the UFC has come a good distance when it comes to drug use in the game since its early days.
For years, there was constant controversy surrounding Testosterone Alternative Therapy (TRT), which was legal in the game for ages, and fighters used loopholes to give you the option to bask in the method.
And although UFC boss Dana White was totally against it, it ran rampant in the game amongst among the older fighters within the promotion.
The UFC’s TRT problem that consistently caused controversy
It was in 2010 when a TRT ‘loophole’ appeared to form after the California State Athletic Commission announced that Chael Sonnen had tested positive for elevated testosterone levels following his loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117.
‘The American Gangster’ then admitted to using synthetic testosterone but demanded that it was only on doctor’s orders as a part of a medical treatment for hypogonadism, a condition which affects the body’s ability to naturally produce testosterone.
Although he was handed a suspension, Sonnen was later granted permission by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to make use of testosterone via a therapeutic-use exemption.
This then opened the door for other fighters to follow suit. In accordance with a 2014 report, at the least 15 fighters were supplied with exemptions during their time within the UFC, one among which was Vitor Belfort.
Belfort’s story was barely more complex and there was a period when he exclusively fought outside of the U.S., more likely to avoid any issues together with his elevated TRT use.
Dana White sent a message to UFC fighters using TRT ‘loophole’
“Vitor’s on TRT, everybody knows it, I dislike TRT and we’re testing guys which can be on TRT to make certain they’re throughout the limits and so they’re not cheating,” White said throughout the UFC 160 post-fight press conference, every week after Belfort knocked out Luke Rockhold.
“I said it to everybody that’s on TRT, possibly if you might have to take TRT, you’re too old to be fighting still, that’s what I said. I didn’t say that (just) to Vitor, I said it to everybody that’s on TRT.
“What I don’t like is guys using this TRT exemption as a loophole to get all jacked up during training after which come back to normal levels before the fight, that’s what I don’t like and that’s what I don’t want,” White continued.
Fortunately for the game, TRT was banned in 2014, stopping fighters from using loopholes to give you the option to extend their testosterone levels and the game modified overnight.