Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson raved about the performance-enhancing benefits of the anabolic steroid known as “testosterone” in a surprising interview with Gary Alexander of “Fighters Only Magazine”. Jackson talked at length about his decision to use testosterone, its effects on his muscle size and bodyweight and his performance in the bedroom. His comments were made after his loss to Ryan Bader at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan.
The UFC and Pride champion was incredibly honest, displaying considerable naivete, when discussing his decision to see an “age management” doctor and began “testosterone replacement therapy”. Jackson was speaking candidly because he was under the mistaken impression that testosterone was not an anabolic steroid.
“So I was like ‘testosterone? No I’m not going to do that, that’s like steroids’ but then the doctor is like ‘no, steroids is stuff mixed with testosterone or other stuff, you can get steroids that do all types of things,” explained Jackson. “Steroids for your cardio, for your muscles. Testosterone is all natural, its what your body produces.”
The use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in sports, particularly in mixed martial arts (MMA), has been a highly controversial topic. Testosterone has a legitimate therapeutic use in cases involving a medical condition known as hypogonadism in which the body produces low amounts of endogenous testosterone. TRT is administered in order to restore circulating blood levels to normal to high-normal.
The controversy arises over whether therapeutic dosages of testosterone (that keep blood testosterone levels in the supraphysiologic range) can offer an athlete unfair, performance-enhancing benefits.
Most athletes who have been granted, or seeking, therapeutic use exemptions for TRT have strongly denied gaining any performance-enhancing benefit from TRT.
Rampage Jackson apparently didn’t receive the talking points for athletes who need to defend their use of TRT. Jackson raved about the performance-enhancing benefits of testosterone.
Jackson admitted that steroids dramatically increased his bodyweight and muscle size, improved his recovery from a knee injury and restored his sexual prowess.
- “I hurt my knee like a month ago and I only did three shots of testosterone but it put a lot of weight on me, a lot of muscle on me but it healed me knee up good enough to where I could fight.”
- “I gave myself small doses and that shit immediately changed me, that’s why I am saying now I am not going to retire.”
- “My sex life changed, I was back to five times a night like when I was 25, straight up.
Jackson blamed the steroids for making it impossible for him to lose weight and make the 206lb weight class limit at UFC 144 when he faced Ryan Bader. Jackson came in at 211 lbs and was fined 20 percent of his earnings from the bout as a result.
It is unclear if Jackson was formally required to apply for a therapeutic use exemption.
Jackson doesn’t believe he is doing anything wrong. He has defended his decision to use steroids (testosterone) and feels it is legally and medically justified.
“I feel young again. I’m happy I did the testosterone, I wish I had known about it sooner,” lamented Jackson.
Source:
Alexander, G. (February 29, 2012). RAMPAGE REVEALS HE USED TESTOSTERONE THERAPY FOR BADER FIGHT. Retrieved from http://www.fightersonlymag.com/content/news/15721-rampage-reveals-he-used-testosterone-therapy-for-bader-fight
