Silva On MMA Doping; McGregor Could Still Return For UFC 300
Anderson Silva has given his take on doping in the sport of MMA.
Silva is the former UFC middleweight champion who has had his own fair share of problems with failed tests. The fighter failed a test in 2015 after securing a win over Nick Diaz. Thereafter, Silva was found to have tested positive for Androsterone and Drostanolone. That was not the only incident, though. The fighter failed another test prior to his fight with Kelvin Gastelum. That has naturally tainted his legacy, given that Silva holds the record for the longest win streak in the UFC, which stands at 16. In response, this is what Silva had to say.
Silva On Doping
“The kind of training an MMA fighter goes through is completely different than any other athlete from a combat sport. They put themselves in an extreme situation. You have to train boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling. There’s physical preparation on top of that. There was a time when everyone was getting injured. If you’re taking something on doctor’s orders, and it’s not out of control, you’re not going to get injured.
“That’s also not going to change a performance at all in the fight. I’m in favor of testing on fight week. If you test positive for doping on fight week, then you f**d up. A guy who’s training to fight on the same level as those guys who are at the top, there’s no way he’s not going to get injured. There’s no way. It’s so hypocritical,” Silva
From one fighter to another, Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC could still take place at UFC 300. That was hinted by reporter Ariel Helwani after initial reports suggested that the Irishman would return in the summer. Dana White and McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, had both recently stated that a return at UFC 300 was unlikely. This may have been on the basis that McGregor can sell out any card, which is why the UFC 300 event was not so paramount for the Irishman’s return. But given the start power that McGregor does have, Helwani urged the UFC to put him on the card.
McGregor’s Return
“300 is going to sell itself because of the pageantry of the number and whatnot so maybe if you put him on 301, you get two bites of that million buy apple if you get what I’m saying because maybe 301 wouldn’t be great without him. I’ve heard since that maybe plans are changing. But to me, come on man. Conor’s ready to go, who knows how many fights he has left in him, he’s foaming at the mouth, he’s almost begging for a fight. Put him on that damn card,” Helwani
Ultimately, Silva and McGregor will go down as some of the best to have ever done it in the UFC. While their legacies have been tainted somewhat by their behaviour outside of the octagon, their achievements cannot be downplayed. And there is no getting away from that.
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