Years Ago, Penn Warned Of MMA’s PED Problem

Ever since the UFC decided to make out-of-competition drug testing “a thing”, they’ve had to endure some serious ramifications.

Jon Jones was the first mega-bust, but this week we learned that the man many consider the greatest fighter of all time, Anderson Silva, was also found to have Performance Enhancing Drugs in his system.

It’s a dark truth, that’s only now starting to come to light.

If only we had listened to BJ Penn all those years ago:

“I think everyone is really of the same opinion as I am, if they want to admit it or not,” he said. “Stuff like this is not easy to talk about. We’re talking about friends and colleagues of mine. They look at me and they hear me say these things, and they’re like, ‘You know you’re the only guy that doesn’t do it, right?’ And I’m like, I know.

“It’s a catch-22 for me,” he continued. “I believe so strongly in fair play and all these things, and on the other side, it’s people you know and people you look up to, legends of the sport. They’ve been involved with stuff like that. I guess I shouldn’t be so outspoken because I have so many friends and colleagues and so many people I respect in this sport that have gotten involved with stuff like TRT and hormone replacement.”

“When you’re chi is down, you feel weak, and I’m sure it’s an easy way out to do all the testosterone and stuff, but I just couldn’t see myself doing it.”

“I always said no,” he said. “I always believed that technique is what it was all about. That’s why I always took on the bigger challenges. That’s what jiu-jitsu is about. That’s why they have the absolute division, so when you’re a white belt in jiu-jitsu, you’re already practicing wrestling with bigger people. I always believed it was in the technique. I always believed the needle is not the answer. I always believed that. I still believe it today.”

– BJ Penn, July, 2011, via MMAFighting.com’s The MMA Hour

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