Rather Than Banning TRT, Dan Henderson Calls For Random Drug Testing In MMA

Using testosterone-replacement therapy since 2006/2007, reeling UFC light heavyweight Dan Henderson is thought to be the inaugural fighter to be granted a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to use the therapy in Nevada.

Heading into his awaited rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the main event of March 23’s UFC Fight Night 38, the 42-year-old “Hendo” will most likely get one last TUE for the match-up.

But that’s it, as the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) unanimously approved a motion to ban TRT from all fights in Nevada in Thursday, and the UFC and Brazilian MMA commission CABMMA were soon to follow suit.

It was lauded as great news for the sport of MMA as a whole, but not according to “Hendo.” The former Pride and Strikeforce champ spoke up to MMAFighting.com to detail his stance that the NSAC and UFC took the easy way out in banning the therapy outright:

“Are they going to ban insulin for diabetics and other prescribed medications that get people into normal ranges? Seems like they could have easily implemented random drug testing.

I just think that they took the easy way out,” he said. “Instead of trying to get rid of the bigger problem of PEDs, they banned the drugs they had already approved for athletes with chronically low testosterone levels.”

That’s an interesting point of view from the power-hitting Henderson, who has dropped three straight bouts to Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans, and Lyoto Machida despite using TRT prior to his bouts against “The Phenom” and “The Dragon.”

Outlawing TRT is not the solution in his eyes. Instead “Hendo” called out for a change in drug testing policies, including a switch to random testing for fighters:

“I would love for them to do better. Random, no advance notice drug testing. “I’ll deal with the changes after [the Shogun fight].”

Indeed Henderson has some big changes to grow accustomed to, as TRT has been a part of his training regimen for some time now. With losses to top competition rapidly piling up, can “Hendo” make it past the ruling and get back on track in the octagon?