Former UFC middleweight channels his inner Nate Diaz reacting to Arman Tsarukyan being accused of steroid use ahead of UFC 311
Pictures of Arman Tsarukyan's ripped physique leading up to UFC 311 have sparked speculation about whether he is using performance-enhancing drugs (PED).
Tsarukyan has been subject to 11 random doping tests, making him one of the most tested UFC fighters in 2024, alongside Kayla Harrison (13 tests), Conor McGregor (11 tests), and Jose Aldo Jr. (10 tests). Despite never testing positive for banned substances, strength and conditioning coach Adam Lusby has expressed different views about the situation.
In a recent video on his Instagram account (@enhanced_sports_performance), Lusby suggested that Tsarukyan's muscular appearance before the UFC 311 fight could be attributed to PED use. He also implied that the departure of USADA might have contributed to what he described as Tsarukyan's "blatant" use of substances. He said:
"They're not even hiding anymore... They're so blatant now. At least, have the common decency to eat some extra muffins, or have some extra cookies or reduce how much you've taken. But no, they're just like, 'Who cares? USADA's gone now.' Let's just go for that. And, I don't want to hear it in the comments... I don't want to hear anything about how this is just vegetables and prayers... It's not guys! Let's stop being silly."
Check out the Instagram post below:
Former UFC middleweight Uriah Hall took to the comments section and used a popular quote from Nate Diaz to share his thoughts on the post, writing:
"Bro, everyone's on steroids."
Diaz first popularized the quote before his UFC 196 fight against Conor McGregor, expressing his belief that most athletes use steroids. He reiterated this stance during the UFC 202 pre-fight press conference when asked about Jon Jones being pulled from the UFC 200 title fight against Daniel Cormier after testing positive for a banned substance.
The quote has since become a well-known catchphrase in discussions about PED use within the MMA community.
Former UFC title challenger makes hilarious remark on PED allegations against Arman Tsarukyan
Over the years, UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa's physique has sparked debates about PED use within the MMA community. After facing accusations of steroid use, Costa humorously joked about using "secret juice" to enhance his physique and even launched the merchandise with that name to embrace the criticism.
In response to Adam Lusby's video alleging that Arman Tsarukyan was using PEDs, Costa commented:
"I think he stole the secret juice recipe."
Amid the speculation regarding the reasons behind his impressive physique, Tsarukyan recently explained his transformation in an interview with MMA Junke.
Tsarukyan shared that he has been training consistently since May 2024, following his UFC 300 win over Charles Oliveira. According to him, the added motivation of fighting for the title has driven him to approach his preparation diligently and achieve excellent shape for the UFC 311 title fight against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.