Seven years ago, MMA legend Renzo Gracie weighed in on the controversial topic of performance-enhancing drugs in MMA.
Fresh after Anderson Silva failed a drug test in connection to his 183 bout against Nick Diaz, Gracie took the time to weigh in on the topic.
According to Gracie, Silva was not the exception when it comes to steroid usage in the sport but was rather the rule. In fact, only two fighters came to mind when Gracie thought of who would serve as "exceptions."
"Everybody is taking (steroids)," said Gracie to Brazilian media outlet Tatame. "The difference is that Anderson probably lost control of when the substance would be out of his body. Fighters who don't use (PEDs) can't compete in this sport. There are some exceptional guys, like Frankie Edgar and Chris Weidman. Those two never took anything. I watch them closely. Everybody takes (steroids), except them. But they are rare cases."
"I don't understand much about steroids, but I heard that substance is hard to catch," Gracie continued. "For whatever reason, [Silva] was caught. I don't know if he took it longer than he should. The problem with those things is that you develop an addiction, both physically and psychologically."
Of course, the "Everyone is on steroids" take was later made famous by Nate Diaz. But these comments from years past illustrate that there are others who share Diaz's cynical take on how their peers approach the sport.
H/T: Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com for translating.
What percentage of MMA fighters do you believe are on steroids? And do you think USADA has made a significant different on PED usage in the sport?