Nate Marquardt's Testosterone levels were "Out of Range" for the fight against Rick Story
Posted on June 28, 2011, 02:01 PM by Anton Gurevich
A combination of bad judgment, timing, and high testosterone levels were the reason behind Nate Marquardt's shocking withdrawal from the scheduled UFC on Versus 4 main event fight against Rick Story.
In an exclusive interview to Ariel Helwani on MMAFighting.com's MMA Hour, Marquardt revealed he was unable to bring his testosterone levels back to normal, after an aggressive treatment (TRT) he started during training camp for the fight against Dan Miller at UFC 128.
Marquardt was out of normal range few hours before the weigh-ins, but according to his statement, he went back into normal on June 26th, the day when he was supposed to fight Rick Story.
Emotional and heartbroken Marquardt explained step by step the events contributed to his release from the UFC, claiming that he still wants to fight for the promotion. Nate Marquardt's manager Lex McMahon (Alchemist Management) was also in the studio to share his thoughts on the situation.
And here are my few thoughts on this whole issue.
There's a thin line between actually having a medical condition which requires TRT, and bringing yourself to that medical condition in purpose - just so you could have TRT. My good friend Matthew Roth from HeadKickLegend.com explained to me that one of the most common reasons for low testosterone levels is dehydration, which can be easily achieved during "sweaty" training, weight cuts, and sauna. So, it looks like Testosterone Replacement Therapy can be easily become a common issue in MMA, especially when fighters know and can bring it back into normal levels before the fight.
Here's some of the Live Blog entries from MMAMania.com. For full minute-by-minute coverage, please click here.
--He began treatment using the "therapeutic use exemption" in his fight against Dan Miller at UFC 128 in New Jersey after his primary physician diagnosed him with low testosterone in August of 2010.
--Nate was advised by his doctor to pursue a new, "more aggressive therapy" three weeks out from his fight against Rick Story. He took a blood test two weeks out from the fight and the levels came back too high. His doctor then told him to get off the treatment.
--McMahon says they are already seeking out a specialist to help with his low testosterone.
--Marquardt says the weight cut had nothing to do with his decision to resume TRT but believes it could have altered his blood levels, causing the levels to be elevated on the day of the weigh ins (blood "concentration") and significantly decreased the very next day.
--Nate talked to Dana after the shit hit the fan and while it wasn't said right away, he had the feeling he was done. Says he knew he messed up and that it was "real bad." McMahon says they didn't know Nate was fired until he saw it on Twitter.
--Marquardt still wants to fight at 170 and will not yet commit to fighting for another promotion. Wants to "let the dust settle." Hints at trying to get back into the UFC at some point down the road.
Comments
If Nate can provide the paper trail (which he did to the commission) to the Dana, I think Dana should retract his comments.
and give him his f*cking job back
Dana doesn't care about that. All he cares about is the fact that Nate was the main event and had to pull out close to the fight, and it cost the UFC alot of money. He would have preferred Nate to try and cover everything up, lie to the commision, and get suspended afterwards, just so he could show up fight night and perform. We never heard Dana say he was "disgusted" with Chael Sonnen, becuase Chael only hurt himself, while Nate hurt the UFC. $$$$$$$.
Honestly almost all fighters suffer from low level of testosterone(not just testoterone but all hormones) but not just MMA fighters also for boxing and other contact sports. Your pituitary gland is located in the sella turicica(hole located at the base of your brain) which they hang with a little space allowance the problem is that everytime when your head is hit your pituitary gland bounces to the surrounding of that hole and if that happens atleast 10times a day will lead to so many conditions related to hormones. Thats why fighters when they are aging they have a lot of disease(heart ailments,diabetes,lowtestorone level etc...), we always thought they are healthy since they have strict diet and exercise but the hard truth is that its a job with a lot of sacrifice in the present and specially in the future. dana only cares about money and not the fighters...
many lowkickers are ignorant from the truth
Ogobska - No its probably because that your post looks like a lecture to people with a flimsy point at the end. Its just the way presented your information. Thats all.
yah i think its too complicated to see at broader point but im just sharing my exp with the athletes i deal in the hospital there a lot of case like this but it should be handled in a strict manner
mannn thats true but you also have guys that use it as an excuse but as
long as there count isnt above normal and have paperwork ok...but damn how high was his if he had all the paperwork and ect and was so high he had
to pull out ....damn
Damn, the way Dana was talking, I figured Marquardt was covering up having herpes or something.
To repeat a popular line: Sometimes these things happen...in MMA.
Good point made about Dana's reasoning in costing the promotion money and time. Thats the bottom line here. Thats it.
Also, you have to look at both sides of the story, do any of you really know anything about Testosterone replacement therapy? Have you done extensive research? Its a very tricky thing, its still in a very experimental stage for what it is. Maybe Marquardt made a mistake in his choice of recommendations and maybe Dana White was a bit hasty in his firing. Maybe Marquardt had a bad attitude in his explanation to Dana and Pissed him off. We dont really know. Theres no need for you all to sound so pissed lol
This is why he was released? This?
Jesus Christ the way Dana sounded it made him look like he slaughtered children. Needless to say, I'm sick of Dana White. He's done a lot for the sport but when you start cutting your top guys over things like this, it's disappointing.
I suppose Nate should have just got himself A mortgage fraud charge and he would still have a job
No he would have to put up fight of the year against someone who was deemed invincible and lose in dramatic fashion. (Because if he had won, it would just make Dana pissed, cuz the belt would have to be stripped)
Dana White: "When Nate Marquardt mans up and tells you what happened... blah blah blah... you'll see why I'm completely justified in cutting him... blah blah blah... "
Well he did Dana - and now you look like an ass.
Dana is an ass period....
Bullshit, Dana. Bullshit. You back Chael who is deceitful scumbag piece o crap through a very similar circumstance, except Chael lied to everybody and topped it off with being found guilty of serious criminal fraud charges among other things.
well after he plead guilty they did freeze his contract, and the commissions have been jerking him around......Your post really shows how butthurt you are.....I can sense the tears from here.
If his butt hurts you can't blame Chaels' now tiny penis.
PEDs shrink the testicles not the penis..... popular misconception, I suppose
shows what I know. lol. But the testicles slap the ass.
Chael is awesome. i don't care what he did. for the sake of entertainment, he really needs to be allowed to come back soon.
Nate got cut by the UFC and Dana for doing what he did, however Chael Sonnen gets praised by Dictator Dana for doing nothing but illegal things.SMDH.
i think your in the wrong post Bam lol
Absolutely right BAM. i was so pissed that Pat Barry got carried away and let that happen. It's one of those things he is going to be sick to his stomach about for a long time. So I really feel for him. If Barry keeps working his ground game he will be a force though. I don't think Kongo will ever have a chance at the top of the division. and this guy saying he's one of the most accurate strikers, is ridiculous. he's good, not great.
Hey Einstein the lucky landing punch bum you're referring to is one of the most accurate striker in the ufc so dig a hole and dont come back now bum i mean bam lol
Really Dana got so upset over This?! fighters should get cut for shit that Daley did but not this..
They should get cut for both things you mentioned and promote fairness in the sport. If you don't have what it takes then you simply don't have what it takes. You're either a man or your not and if you can't compete due to testosterone levels being low then it's not the job for you.
Dana overreacted once again... Disgusted ?
I think Dana meant to say that he is just disgusted with himself, not Nate.
hahaha thats funny, also true
Dana overreacted, but I believe Dana was more upset over the timing. Nate knew he had to take care of this weeks ahead, assured the UFC and the athletic comission everything was fine, and then the day before he was supposed to headline the event, fails his medicals.
Nate ruined the UFC's main event and marketing strategy at the worst time possible. I'm sure that played more a part of Nate getting cut than the fact that his testosterone levels were too high.
Either way, I don't think he should have been fired for this. That is too strict of a punish, imo.
wow...are you serious dana? you better apologize for over reacting and give him his job back. otherwise ive lost alot of respect for you. especially since you back up cheal and feel bad for him even though what he did is a shit ton worse. get real
Isn't this almost the exact same excuse that Chael gave? I
Nate has been caught cheating before.
Ah, I see that when Nate fought Miller back in August of 2010 he was allowed to fight, but was supposed to get documentation from his doctor showing that Nate needed the therapy. The athletic comission had said his documentation looked incomplete.
Nate never got the documentation after assuring the UFC he would, and even continued to use the therapy.
Watch the documentary bigger stronger faster, and it leaves little doubt that the majority of athletes are on steroids, and a part of the trainers responsibility is to get them off steroids and clean prior to weigh ins and drug tests.
Even when guys cut weight, and severely dehydrate themselves, they go on an IV immediately after weigh ins due to the fact that it is a safer alternative to retaining their water weight. How is that different then using a hormone booster, such as steroids or HGH, even blood doping, the list goes on.
I'm not trying to support the use of illegal substances, but when guys in the past have been caught with the same thing, does this deserve such a severe disciplinary action? I can see setting an example out of a top 5 contender to deter other guys from repeating the same mistakes.
However, I'm sure Dana will provide the readers with the rest of the story. Either way I'll miss watching Nate throw down on UFC grounds.
I'm an EMT and i stick IV's in people. and the way that it's different that hormones and HGH, is that it's just saline and water. haha, it's not loaded with testosterone. personally i don't care that athletes use steroids. and i think most of them do it at least sometimes. but there's the answer to your question. it's not against the rules to get an IV to rehydrate. interesting though. I didn't know they did that.
Didn't mean to say steroids and IV's were the same thing, but its obviously not natural.
i like nate, but i can understand what dana did. he wants to keep this sport clean. it has been so hard for the ufc to get this sport main stream, and remember it still isnt legal in all states. thats why idiots like juney browning got the ax for his violent behavior outside the ring. this sport doesnt need cheaters and thats what nate was doing.
it's not about Nate cheating. everything he said may be true. maybe he's doing it all legally and screwed up while tapering off. or maybe losing so much water made the concentration higher just in his blood. i'm not a doctor. but Dana didn't fire him for TRT. he fired him for not being able to fight. and having to put Rick Story in with a guy that really drops him in the ranks. after he lost. and just for the fact that it was one day notice, and they lose their main event. if it was a PPV he probably would have Nate killed.
"Dana is right" the UFC fighters are superior fighters because of the
superior PED abuse. This is why Fedor is having problems lately
with all these juiced up heavyweights. Fedor needs to get with program
if he want's to compete with juiced up UFC fighters and others. I have strong suspicion that Overeem was off the juice last fight with Werdum.
He'll be back in the ufc
personally i dont think it really matters that nate got cut. hes a good fighter but who has he beat in the top 10 lately. hes blown it a couple a times against okami and sonnen and destroyin kendall grove isnt that impressive. Hes juiced before mind you and i think he would have been only decent at welter weight
It is sad too see the UFC is getting bad as the Major League Baseball.
Too many fighters are getting caught,and losing credibility with fans and as a sport. Dana needs to do something about this serious PED problem that is rampant in UFC.
who do all these fighters think there fooling. Low testosterone? Someone with natural low testosterone does not get into a professional combat sport. one they would not have the aggression and motivation really needed to make it to this level. so how are all these athletes getting Diagnosed with this. there just paying off doctors to give them a legal reason to try and juice up. its like everyone getting legal weed for every ache and pain they exp.
This is really weird, Dana kinda looks like an ass for cutting him now
This is really weird, Dana kinda looks like an ass for cutting him now
The interesting thing is that excercise increases testosterone levels naturally. Low testosterone levels can be a side-effect caused by various forms of juicing. Requiring more testosterone 'therapy' as with Sonnen.
The bottom line is the show must go on. The fighters on a main card are responsible for showing up and only a serious injury would justify pulling out at the last minute. Nate Marquardt knew he had to have testosterone levels within commission limits. If he has to fight with low testosterone levels, so be it.
After all that has happened to Marquardt with a previous history of juicing, and all the UFC fighters suspended--he should have known better. To pursue a more aggressive juicing 'therapy' three weeks before the fight after being told your levels were too high is irresponsible and stupid.
WTF was he thinking?
After spending a fortune in marketing the little turd, and putting him on the main card--and after he was warned in plenty of time, and still continued with his juicing.....
I would fire his ass out the door.
BTW:
Hormone replacement therapy, Testosterone replacement 'therapy' etc. is a way for fighters to obtain legal, doctor prescribed juice. A great number of professonal fighters play this game in order to get an edge. The only problem is this therapy, for a number of reasons, can screw up your natural production of testosterone--getting you hooked on even more TRT.
Not to mention it makes your balls teensy tiny.
Im Disgusted with dana
Im on testosterone and I guarantee most fighters at the UFC level are. There is alot of GH use and IGF -1 use as well as GHB. Its a joke that the media and governement make it sound like such an evil cheating action. The reality is all elite athletes need test to compete. Whats the difference between a male that has naturally high levels of test and a male that has low levels and supplements to make his levels comparable. Hormones are one of the most effecting factors in a humans performance, muscularity ,health etc. They are naturally occuring not this harmful drug that shortens life spans. People need to get educated by reality and the truth than believe this bullshit the media and government politicians spin. No matter how much steroids you are on it will make no difference if you do not put in the trainign and time sparring. As a matter of fact MMA is prone to over training nearly anyone with all the cardio and intense training for wrestling, striking, jujitsu ,strength that is required. Most athletes have shown to decrease test levels and increase cortisol levels after 12 MINUTES of intense training. more than three x per week….What a joke , I feel sorry for Nate.
Are alchemist management on here or something? Nate has nobody to blame but himself or whoever advised him. That would be alchemist by the way.
If i get weaked for this I know for a fact a fact that alchemist are trolling this board. Typically sneaky type of thing they would do.