Nimmy

An Open Letter to Dana White

posted on sherdog today, not sure what to make of it.

StratTone

Well I think it isn't Dana's responsibility to change things. Fighters are responsible for there own actions. We as watchers (if we dissagree) need to boycott fighters for there actions. Media (unfortunaly) runs things here in the US. By that I mean, if the draw is still there for a fighter he will fight or play or whatever. We need to boycott what we don't believe it. Be voicefull about what we don't like and changes will be made. UFC is the product and we are the producer. I we don't like grapes then they will plant oranges. But if we eat the grapes anyway then they will keep making them............

To me Dana is doing all he can do. The fighters as well. They are under extreme pressure (by us) to do well. I can see both sides of the fence so I guess I don't really have an opinion. To me roids don't make that much of a difference in the cage. I like to know who uses and who doesn't but when it is all said in done we know who went into the ring/cage that night and what the "used" so he can take the variables from the fight and dicuss what we think. If a roid guy wins and we dicuss out displeasure with a juiced up winner then we take away his feeling of victory. :-)

bayouboy

Sorry but I couldn't disagree more. Go ask Bud Selig if he wishes he would have struck at steroids hard a decade ago in major league baseball and he would say yes a thousand times. Since he didn't a decade ago that's why he is now dealing with a major embarrasement in Barry Bonds. Dana has the power to set regulations for his own sport to keep it clean so why not do it? Why not do what you can to avoid future champions testing positive? He can and he should.

IrishMike

I think it is worse to use steroids as a fighter than it is for say a track and field star. In any sporting avenue it is wrong, but for fighters, particularly boxers where you are inflicting harm on your opponent, using steroids to gain unfair advantage over your opponent is unethical and in my mind should be a criminal offence. You may as well, carry a crow-bar into the ring! Sean Sherk, Bonnar, Roy Jones Jr! All should be banned for life IMO

Shoney

What did he mean when he was talking about Nate Marquardt?

Saskabush

I was wondering the same thing myself.


Dana is not to blame though, the only one to blame is the athletic commission. They have obviously not tested/enforced their rules enough to make fighters fear using steroids. Fighters who use steroids assume that they will get away with it and I bet most of the time they do. Each fighter should be tested on a regular basis to protect the integrity of the sport.

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Drexal

Nate Marquardt had his positive steroid test overturned a few years ago.

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Koscheck: "St. Pierre doesn’t have a big heart or a good chin"

GSP: “I think he hasn’t seen my fight with B.J. Penn.”

BispingKO

I blame both parties and I think drugs test should happen on everyone every time they fight. If they get caught it is a years suspension with no pay, while still under contract so that they couldnt fight for another company.


I dont get the bit about Dan Henderson... is he really clean then? A proper sportsman?

Kaledonia

Am dismissing this article from Josh Gross as complete and absolute crap. This was the moron who got slighted when his press creditials got revoked, alledgely for giving out information that was before due release time or whatever, and now he is taking up a current issue and using it to bash Dana White.

Sure White has his problems, but is this drug inquiry one of them? Nope, not at all. Fighters have managers and trainers, its THEIR responsibility, Josh goes into some detail about the UK and Texas not screening for drugs as if White is using this as a get around to avoid any bad press relating to drugs. As if.

I had to read the letter twice, the first time I could only read a huge FU. This clown needs to get a grip imo, instead of offering advice of any kind, its all "whatcha ya gonna do about it", well its non of his freaking buissness how its run at the end of the day and if you dont like it you can watch something else.

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"There is no shame in poverty

He who gives his utmost for his goal is a noble person"

- Choi Baedal

p19101

brilliant letter, couldn't have said it better myself!

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Favourite fighters:

1. Fedor
2. Dan Henderson
3. Forrest Griffin
4. Randy Couture
5. Eddie Alvarez

earvinarp

You may be right it is not Dana's fault only. But it is unquestionable the mma community and, specially, the UFC have a big problem in their hands. There is something out there that tells the fighters that it is better to use drugs and get caught than the alternative. That clearly suggests that the mma community needs a change of culture. And White can do a lot in that regard.

Kaledonia

While you are right in what you have said its impossible for White to make any difference even if he so choose too. MMA is taking off big time with many other promotions, if White starts kicking out every fighter from the UFC with a positive test then he is only going to make his org look like a bunch of ball busters and the fighters will go to other stables and orgs.

Like so many of you are realising now, the "problem" is so widespread that it will probably never go away, and the pressure the fighters are under will always drive them to exceed at any cost. Guys might not go into this for the money at the biggest, but with the trappings of sucess, fame and fortune, an enduring legacy for others to follow, who isnt going to break a few rules to get in on that? A mans honour or integrity? Even those things mean different things from person to person.

Meh, I say brush this entire issue under the carpet and send Leon after those who make big pissy statements about it.

__________________
"There is no shame in poverty

He who gives his utmost for his goal is a noble person"

- Choi Baedal

Heatwaves

Of course the difference here is that Sherk, Franca and others actually tested positive for steroids. Bonds, McGuire, Sosa, etc., are suspected users. Given that only people with bags over their heads would think these guys are clean, but wouldn't it be funny if Bonds has actually been clean the whole time?

Anyway, back to your main point. I agree with you that it is Dana's role to help clean up the sport. In addition to what the NSAC and CSAC dole out, the UFC could institute it's own fines and suspensions. At 1 year, the suspensions are pretty stiff already, but they could certainly step up a fine over the $2,500 and keep in in context with a particular fighter's earnings. (i.e. fining Gracie only $2,500 is just silly).

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Ztous

The only thing I want from Dana is the banning of every fighter caught taking steroids.

FightFan76

One guy stated how if they are too strict than the fighters would choose to go to other orgs. so imo I say you have a 1, 2, or 3 strike system which show other orgs. that fighters were given every chance to clean up but still failed. It also makes the fighters useless to any org. b/c they cannot be trusted. Now having said that, I agree w/ you 100%; I have zero tolerance for steroid use and I would just assume ban them for life but for political reasons I think some kind of 2nd chance system would be a better move.

Shoney

Thanks. I didn't know that.

p19101

3 chances are too many! First time caught = 1 year ban, 2nd time caught = lifetime ban, that's my opinion.

Also I think UFC needs to test their fighters when events are held in places where there is no established testing. I also belive there is a need for random testing in between fights. With todays banned substances it's way too easy to use and be clean once it's time to be tested. Random testing is needed!

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Favourite fighters:

1. Fedor
2. Dan Henderson
3. Forrest Griffin
4. Randy Couture
5. Eddie Alvarez

Cas2910

instead of testing everyone that has an upcoming fight, why dont they test everyone that they have under contract so they dont have time to use them and flush them out of there system. When players know when they are being tested it is easy to use them and get away with it if you know what your doing.

Harms

Dana said Noah and Marlon will never be in the UFC for getting into a street fight on TUF cause he said it makes his sport look bad. I can't think of worse publicity than roided up fighters and yet he says it isn't his responsibility. Mandatory, random drug tests for all fighters under contract would really make a difference.

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p19101

Exactly, they need to test fighters in between fights as well, unannounced random tests.

__________________
Favourite fighters:

1. Fedor
2. Dan Henderson
3. Forrest Griffin
4. Randy Couture
5. Eddie Alvarez