Is the steroid use allowed in PRIDE and the early days of the UFC?

[shorinryu86]

Did they allow the use of steroid during the early days of the UFC and PRIDE? What about K-1?

 

[oski]

Not allowed as much as encouraged.

 

[Ginja_Ninja]

Pride yes, the were very direct in telling their fighters that they do no test.

Super early UFC probably yes as well but the earliest I remember Tim Silvia had his belt stripped for a failed test somewhere around UFC 40. They definitely didn't test like they do today but there must have been something.

 

[WhiteMousse]

Early UFC it was pretty obvious. Look at the fights today compared to the old days. People had energy that seemingly never ended

 

[Hellowhosthat]

They did test people but only to make sure they were definitely taking steroids.

 

[Serge421]

It's always been allowed

 

[Koala]

 

[NoSmilez]

Early UFC had testing if the local athletic commission was involved. Not everyone was tested.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Did they allow the use of steroid during the early days of the UFC and PRIDE? What about K-1?

The Smashing Machine is a must watch

 

[AdamWarlock]

it's more in the open but the quality of drugs they got back in the day don't compare to the shit athletes get these days
dillashaw was on epo, that's some high end shit

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

I believe they did fight night PED tests early on if at all. Geez there were some suspicious physiques around then, don't know if I'm allowed to say the name but one guy looked particularly juicy, he absolutely flatlined his opponent too, dangerous shit.

 

[Ube]

I want to know what kind of PEDs Sakuraba used to get his balls so big.

 

[Tweak896]

Pride yes, the were very direct in telling their fighters that they do no test.

Super early UFC probably yes as well but the earliest I remember Tim Silvia had his belt stripped for a failed test somewhere around UFC 40. They definitely didn't test like they do today but there must have been something.

Barnett was stripped right before UFC 36. Had to be around that time where they actually tested guys.

 

[BroScienceTalkatWork]

no but they let Brock Lesnar wear a muscle suit to sell fights

 

[broc5k]

Not so much allowed, but kinda like being gay in the US military back in the day. Don't ask, don't tell. UFC started testing for steroids around 2003 I believe.

The Smashing Machine is a must watch

^This, the 2002 documentary of course, not the feature film coming out this year. The incident with his wife was fucking wild:

Kerr describes a fight that escalated to the point where police were called and Dawn grabbed Mark's unloaded gun off his nightstand and starts gouging into her arms with razors.

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

Pride yes, the were very direct in telling their fighters that they do no test.

Super early UFC probably yes as well but the earliest I remember Tim Silvia had his belt stripped for a failed test somewhere around UFC 40. They definitely didn't test like they do today but there must have been something.

Barnett got stripped in the 30s of the UFC. I believe sylvia won the title at ufc 41 against ricco.

Was it the Gan McGee fight he popped for?

 

[DecisionSplit]

it's more in the open but the quality of drugs they got back in the day don't compare to the shit athletes get these days
dillashaw was on epo, that's some high end shit

EPO was one of the most commonly used drugs before 2000. Because there wasn't a test capable of detecting it until the Olympic Games in 2000. Before that you could use it the day before a doping test and have no fear of not passing. An entire cycling team got caught using EPO in 1998 because they left their drugs out in the open and someone spotted them.

All of the big MLB homerun era cheaters were on advanced and designer drugs in the 80s and 90s. The Tour De France bicycle riders were using the best drugs as well. Same with Olympic athletes decades before the UFC even existed.

They lie and act like these guys just bought drugs from a street corner or from a local gym. But they had laboratories and doctors working for them professionally. Lots of UFC fighters, WWE wrestlers, and professional boxers had access to this same stuff since the early days.

 

[SamuraiBro]

Athletes nowadays are on biodentical hormones and supplements undetectable by testing. This includes people in the UFC in 2025

 

[TheTickG]

Did they allow the use of steroid during the early days of the UFC and PRIDE? What about K-1?

How early are we talking for UFC? Barnett was penalized for steroid use during his first UFC run.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

I believe they did fight night PED tests early on if at all. Geez there were some suspicious physiques around then, don't know if I'm allowed to say the name but one guy looked particularly juicy, he absolutely flatlined his opponent too, dangerous shit.

Gotta be Brad Kohler