Morning Report: Anderson Silva argues for the UFC to reinstate the TRT exemption

MMAfighting.com

Kimbo Slice once argued that fighters, especially older fighters, should be allowed to use “extra vitamins” to perform and entertain fans. Apparently, Anderson Silva agrees with him.

In a recently published interview with Rap 77 (translation h/t MMAJunkie) “The Spider” said that while USADA’s entrance into the UFC is a good thing, they should rethink their standards, especially when it comes to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

“There are some athletes who need to make use of the hormonal replacement,” Silva said. “I think, if USADA regulated that, we’d have the sport at a high level, with athletes who have stopped fighting. Vitor, for example. Even me, though I never had the replacement. But some athletes who really need it, who are older. Dan Henderson, many other athletes who have stopped because of this. . .

“USADA’s entrance in the UFC to control the doping situation, the way I see it, was good, but, in a certain way, it ends up being a disturbance because MMA isn’t a regular sport like all the others. It demands from the athlete fighting training, physical training.”

Silva has had a number of issues with USADA since the UFC partnered with them in 2013. In 2015, Silva failed and out-of-competition drug test for androsterone and drostanolone, ahead of his bout with Nick Diaz. Silva argued that his failed test was the result of a tainted sexual enhancement drug he ingested during a trip to Thailand and was suspended, but the commission rejected the argument and suspended him for one year. Silva failed another drug test in 2018, ahead of his bout with Kelvin Gastelum, but this time was able to successfully argue that his failure was the result of a tainted supplement, receiving another one-year suspension.

But despite his many run-ins with USADA, Silva still believes the program is good. He just thinks they should tone it down some.

“I’m in favor of doping control, for sure,” said Silva. “I think no athlete should or can be, on fight day, taking advantage of some situation. But I think they need to review this. Because there are many injuries, many athletes getting hurt, many fights getting cancelled due to athletes getting injured, etc.

“… For instance, you take a Tylenol, you can get caught in the doping. You take aspirin, you can get caught in the doping. There are many things, many medicines that the athlete uses, that they have to always be policing themselves. … I’m not against USADA; I’m totally in favor, but I think there should be a certain [flexibility] when it comes to what is allowed and what isn’t.”

Silva is now free to return to active competition and he has a major fight ahead of him. In November it was announced that Silva would be fighting surging prospect Israel Adesanya, in a bout that Silva says has been guaranteed as a title eliminator for him. If those plans don’t work out for him though, Silva still intends on fighting and has a name he would be interested in getting back in there with.

“I think the fight with Nick Diaz would be a very cool fight, very interesting,” Silva said. “Because our last fight, both of us ended up getting caught in the doping, and it was a no-contest. So, actually, the fight didn’t exist. But I think Nick is a guy who has a name, a guy who has a history in this sport.”

Anderson Silva faces Israel Adesanya at UFC 234 on Feb. 10 in Melbourne, Australia.