"It's so hypocritical" - Anderson Silva is in favor of drug use in MMA but only under certain circumstances
Anderson Silva recently weighed in on the issue of allowing MMA fighters to use performance-enhancing drugs while they train for fights.
Steroid use or doping has always been a significant topic of debate within the MMA community. While most martial arts promotions partner with drug-testing agencies to prevent cheating, the doping problem remains unsolved, and many fighters are suspended every year after testing positive for banned substances.
Within the discourse of the scope of allowing fighters to use steroids, some believe that fighters who aren't actively competing should be allowed to use certain drugs. In contrast, others believe doping should be banned altogether. It's worth noting that many MMA stars, like Conor McGregor, have allegedly resorted to using steroids while sidelined to help heal serious injuries quicker than usual.
During a recent interview on the Flow podcast, Anderson Silva discussed his stance on doping and revealed that he wasn't against it as long as fighters don't use steroids during fight week. He said:
"The kind of training an MMA fighter goes through is completely different than any other athlete from a combat sport... You have to train in boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling... There was a time when everyone was getting injured. If you’re taking something on doctor’s orders, and it’s not out of control, you’re not going to get injured."
'The Spider' continued:
"I’m in favor of testing on fight week... A guy who’s training to fight on the same level as those guys who are at the top, there’s no way he’s not going to get injured... It’s so hypocritical." [h/t bloodyelbow.com]
UFC drug use: Has Anderson Silva ever failed a drug test?
Anderson Silva is widely considered among the greatest MMA fighters of all time, and the former UFC middleweight champion still holds the record for having the longest win streak (16) in promotional history.
While Silva is lauded for his dominance and incredible fighting acumen, the Brazilian MMA legend is often criticized for two significant stains on his legacy. He tested positive for banned substances twice in his UFC career.
The first time, Anderson Silva tested positive for drostanolone metabolites twice in a pair of tests in relation to his fight against Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in January 2015. He was suspended for a year as punishment, and his victory over Diaz was overturned to a no-contest.
The second time, Silva was pulled from a scheduled bout against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night 122 in November 2017 due to a failed USADA drug test from the previous month. However, he was acquitted of the failed test in July 2018 after he proved that banned substances came from tainted supplements. He served a one-year suspension retrospective to November 2017.