Renowned UFC color commentator Joe Rogan has taken a firm stance against the involvement of the USADA in testing UFC stars. As the debate around USADA’s role in MMA rages on, Rogan voiced his concerns during a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
Since the inception of the UFC’s partnership with USADA in 2015, opinions have been divided. Supporters have lauded USADA for its efforts to clean up the sport of mixed martial arts, while critics argue that the program’s strict measures can lead to the suspension of fighters who can prove their use of tainted supplements. Additionally, USADA has faced criticism for prohibiting supplements that are not classified as performance enhancers.
Count Joe Rogan among the prominent voices in the latter camp. Rogan reflected on USADA’s rigorous testing protocols and expressed his belief that the UFC should consider in-house testing instead.
He remarked, “Then there’s a six-month period USADA has to test them randomly, which I think the USADA thing’s a mistake.” Rogan elaborated on his concerns, citing instances where USADA conducted testing as intrusive as waking stars up at 6:30 in the morning on the day of weigh-ins, particularly for world title events. Rogan found this practice excessive and unmanageable.
Rogan also criticized USADA for banning supplements that could potentially benefit fighters’ health and recovery. He mentioned BPC-157, a peptide known for its injury-healing properties, and advocated for athletes to have the freedom to use that aid in recovery, especially in a physically demanding sport like MMA.
While acknowledging that there was a legitimate issue with elevated testosterone levels among MMA fighters, likely contributing to the UFC’s decision to partner with USADA, Rogan proposed that athletes should be permitted to use testosterone under regulated conditions to prevent abuse.
This is an interesting take, especially considering the fact Rogan opposes trans inclusion in sports due to the advantage testosterone provides, particularly against female competitors.