Steroid use is a hot topic in sports today. Is he “juicing” or isn’t he? Are his muscles all-natural? Recently, it’s an issue most associated with baseball and the recent Congress hearings on steroids.  Those hearings connected nearly 90 players to steroid use. If you’re successful in a professional sport, expect to answer accusations of steroid use.

Generally, steroids are banned because of negative side effects and health risks they can cause, the effect that professional athletes’ steroid use will have on younger and impressionable athletes and to make play fair for all participants.
 

With the rigorous training that MMA fighters go through, it’s to be expected that they will be muscular; it’s their jobs. While accusations are flying around in all sports that an athlete is on steroids, UFC and MMA are no exception.

In June 2007, a report from California State Athletic Commission said that Royce Gracie tested positive for anabolic steroids. Gracie has reportedly denied the claims that he’s used steroids. Gracie was suspended until May 2008 and was fined $2,500, which was the maximum penalty for the state of California.

Around the same time, fighter Johnnie Morton failed his pre-fight drug test, which came back positive for high testosterone levels. EliteXC fighter Tim Persey’s drug test found amphetamines in his system. Persey was charged $1,000 and was suspended for six months. In March 2009, Ken Shamrock was suspended for a year after he tested positive.

California enacted a new steroid policy in December 2008 which complies with the standards of the Olympics and the World Anti-Doping Agency, who will perform the tests. The new policy for MMA and steroid use tests fighters for every match.

With the policy, all fighters will be tested for steroid use that are participating in major matches. For fights of less importance, random fighters will be tested for recreational drug use.

New bylaws are in early stages of passing and propose that fighters be tested all year, allowing fighters who use steroids in the off-season or pre-season to be caught.

“If this testing forces people to deal with issues ahead of time, it may allow their families to have more time with them, save them from health problems in later life or even premature death,” Bill Douglas, assistant executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission and in charge of operations said.

WADA’s testing lab, located at UCLA, also performs tests on athletes from leagues such as the NFL.

The NFL’s steroid policy states that a player may be tested as many times as 24 every year. Players that test positive for the first time are suspended without pay for four games. If the player continues to test positive in the future he may be released from the NFL.

While these two policies are different, they are both effective in cutting back steroid use– for now.  Until the negative side effects overtake the positive ones, expect athletes to continue to use despite the risks it could give their sports career.

Although most people associate steroids with substances like Human Growth Hormone or Anabolic Steroids, other substances, such as caffeine, are classified as steroids and are banned in some sporting events. Amphetamines and alcohol are also often prohibited substances.

Most use HGH and Anabolic Steroids to increase their strength and muscle mass, reduce the recovery time needed between workouts and reduce body fat.

When using steroids, other negative effects often occur that one might not have bargained for.

Anabolic steroids are said to cause heart problems, liver disease, blood clots, tumors, certain types of cancer and aggressive behavior. HGH brings joint swelling and pain, and a risk of carpal tunnel syndrome and diabetes to its users.

However, these side effects are often disputed and few studies have been done to show the long-term effects of steroids.

Because nearly all fighters are extremely health conscience, they’re aware that using steroids brings the possibility of decreasing their health, including the numerous lasting side effects.

So, why are athletes still using steroids? Of course, they’re by no means capable of miracles. They won’t turn athletes into mega-super athletes. Regardless, they’re effective in building muscle quickly; in a few days you can notice a difference at the gym—in strength, endurance and motivation. But is it really worth it?

Jake Shields challenged Cung Le for the Strikeforce Middleweight title after submitting Robbie Lawler.

In a catchweight superfight, former EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields scored a significant upset by submitting former EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler with a guillotine choke in the first round of their main event fight.

Shields, who moved up in weight to fight Lawler, went for takedowns immediately after the opening bell, but Lawler threw them off with relative ease. Despite being known for his heavy strikes, Lawler never threw anything dangerous and chose to clinch with Shields instead. Shields, the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former All-American wrestler, got a hold of Lawler’s neck in the clinch, pulled guard, and locked in a guillotine choke which had Lawler tapping two minutes into the first round.

It was a great display of reflex by Shields, who was earlier frustrated in his takedown attempts but needed no second time of asking when presented with a submission opportunity. For Lawler, it was a disappointment to be submitted by a smaller man while not being able to showcase any of his own skills.

As the MMA world recovers from Strikeforce: Shamrock versus Diaz and gears up for UFC 97, fight fans can be pleased with the fact that they are now spoilt for choice in terms of MMA options. In the post-EliteXC world, the UFC, Strikeforce, Affliction, and the WEC can all put out quality fight cards with quality fighters.

But from the ashes of Pride FC, two newer Japanese promotions are finally bringing the heat back to the Asian MMA scene. Both DREAM and World Victory Road had struggles at the beginning; Japanese MMA isn’t as popular as it was during the Pride heyday, and many of the cards had a “circus freak” feel to them in an effort to garner attention and TV deals. But now both promotions have started to right the ship, and for fans who either have HDNet or don’t mind staying up way into the morning, there’s a treasure trove of significant fights coming up from the Land of The Rising Sun.

Some of the highlights include:

Hatsu Hioki vs Ronnie Mann (World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8 – May 2)

With both DREAM and Sengoku currently holding featherweight tournaments, Hioki is the torchbearer for Sengoku’s tourney, as well as the hot favorite. The big and flashy names may most be on DREAM’s side, but Hioki is the man which most MMA publications rank as one of the top five featherweights in the world. With wins over WEC veterans Jeff Curran and Chris Manuel on his resume, Hioki will look to continue his tournament journey with a win over English-Japanese fighter Mann, who brings a 16-1 record with him to Sengoku’s tournament quarterfinals.

Tatsuya Kawajiri vs Gesais Calvancante (DREAM 9 – May 26)

Before the second coming of BJ Penn and the rise of fighters such as Shinya Aoki or Eddie Alvarez, the consensus top lightweight in the world was American Top Team fighter Gesais “JZ” Calvancante. As a middleweight, Calvancante won back-to-back K1 tournaments, and big things were expected from him when he moved to DREAM’s lightweight division. A series of nagging injuries and a decision loss to Aoki halted the JZ hype, and Calvancante will look to get back in the lightweight title picture with a win against Tatsuya “Crusher” Kawajiri.

Former Pride standout Kawajiri, who was denied his desired matchup with Caol Uno when Uno re-signed with the UFC, will look to take out his frustrations on Calvancante and position himself as the next contender to Joachim Hansen’s DREAM lightweight title, as former number one contender Alvarez has signed exclusively with Bellator Fighting Championships.

Jason Miller vs Ronaldo Souza (DREAM 9 – May 26)

Most American fans will now recognize Jason “Mayhem” Miller from his MTV show “Bully Beatdown”, where Miller offers alleged-teenaged bullies money to let professional MMA fighters rough them up on national TV. Miller will have slightly loftier ambitions at DREAM 9, when he faces Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza for DREAM’s newly vacated middleweight title.

Souza, one of the MMA’s finest Jiu-Jitsu fighters, already has a victory over Miller from DREAM’s earlier tournament, but when tourney winner Gegard Mousasi decided to immediately jump to light heavyweight, the door was opened for Miller and Souza to fight a second time, this time with a title on the line.

Best of the Rest:

Former Japanese MMA golden boy Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto will face Greco-Roman wrestling champ Joe Warren at DREAM 9as part of DREAM’s featherweight tourney. Yamamoto received a bye into the quarterfinals.

Also slated for DREAM 9 is a matchup between former DREAM middleweight champ Gegard Mousasi, who will fight former Pride and UFC fighter Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at light heavyweight.

At Sengoku 8, reigning Abu Dhabi champion and grappler extraordinaire Alexandre Ribeiro will have his second MMA fight against Team Grabaka fighter Kei Yamamiya. Ribeiro’s first MMA fight was a submission victory over pro wrestler Takashi Sugiura at Sengoku 5.