Randy Couture Disagrees With Mark Bocek: I Don’t Think PEDs Are Rampant In MMA

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Former UFC heavyweight and light-heavyweight champion Randy Couture doesn’t think Mark Bocek’s recent assessment of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in MMA was very accurate. The UFC Hall of Famer was a guest on Submission Radio recently and said he didn’t agree with the recently retired fighter’s comments.

Couture knows that several fighters have tested positive for banned substances recently, but he thinks there would be a lot more if the problem was rampant as Bocek had described:

“I didn’t really agree with Mark’s statement that it was rampant in Mixed Martial Arts. I don’t think it’s rampant. I think if it was rampant there’d be a lot more guys coming up positive on tests, and there’s certainly been a few guys, but if it was rampant then it would be a whole lot more. So I don’t know that I agree with that statement, but you know it’s human nature.”

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With over 14 years of combat experience, “The Natural” should have a pretty good idea of what goes on behind closed doors when it comes to PEDs. Couture doesn’t believe that the amount of fighters taking banned substances is anything to worry about at the moment, focusing on the fact that there will always be athletes who are looking to cut corners:

“I think there’s always going to be some guys that try to cut corners, who are looking for that short cut or that loop hole, and are willing to kinda take that risk. I mean the penalty is pretty significant. If you get caught, you’re gonna lose the opportunity for at least a year to make a living in your sport. And I mean not to mention the damage to your reputation.

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So I think there are guys, always gonna be a handful of guys that are willing to kinda take those risks. And I think there was a loop hole that maybe some of the guys where using a little bit with the TRT programs which obviously has been closed recently and made a lot of headlines.”

Do you agree with “The Natural”? Is drug abuse in MMA not as bad as it is made out to be, or will it continue to plague the growing sport until a truly strict testing program is put in place?