UFC 143: Roy Nelson Talks PEDs In MMA

Roy Nelson and steroids aren't something you usually read about in the same sentence. Unlike Alistair Overeem or Junior dos Santos , Nelson doesn't exactly come across as a body builder. But he knows that he has fought guys that have were on PEDs before, and he knows that they're prevalent in the sport. He spoke to MMA Fighting about the subject, and doesn't seem too concerned about it:

"If I can compete with them, and they’re using, it just means I’m a better athlete," Nelson said. "That’s all it means to me."

Nelson also states that he's actually had fighters admit to using before he competed against them:

"You just know," he said. "You know by straight-out asking them. You can do it that way. Or you can go through their coaches or training partners. It’s a very small world."

...

"There’s some verbal combat involved," he explained. "You have to trick them into coming clean, but it does happen."

Apparently Roy isn't competing against MENSA members. While it looks obvious to all the world that Roy isn't someone who uses PEDs, he does mention that his body type actually leads him to getting tested more. Why? Because the people doing the testing want it to look effective:

"I’ve probably been tested for steroids probably more than any other fighter that’s ever fought," he said. "...It’s like a football program. There’s always going to be some guys where it’s like, yeah, you’re the one we’ve got to test, because then the program looks clean."

That is something I never even considered before he said it, and is quite a valid point. Big Country squares off with Fabricio Werdum this weekend in the co-main event of UFC 143.

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