Anthony Rocco Martin credits USADA for his stellar run
“I do think a huge part of the sport was using extracurriculars. Now I’m benefitting even more because I never used anything.”
Winner of six of his last seven fights, including all three during his foray into the welterweight division, Anthony Rocco Martin has certainly built up a head of steam going into his March 9 showdown with Sergio Moraes. His submission game has been sharper, and his striking more technical. However, if you ask Martin himself, he’ll give an entirely different reason for his quick ascension.
Everyone was on some sauce [pre-USADA], said Martin to The Top Turtle MMA Podcast. They were all gassed out of their minds and I think that they were able to train more and were able to get a little leaner going into fights.
Since USADA testing started in the UFC, Martin left behind a 2-3 run and has since gone 6-1 – a fact that is not lost on him.
I do think a huge part of the sport was using extracurriculars, he said. Now I’m benefitting even more because I never used anything.
However, when pressed if he believes that any of his past opponents were among those benefitting, he comes short of accusations. He does have an observation though.
All I do know is that I feel like everyone who I lost to is trending down and I’m trending up, he said. That’s pretty much all I see. Now I’m the same fighter and getting better every single time, and these guys are all falling off.
(interview starts at 2:00 mark)
Author Daniel Vreeland is a co-founder of the Top Turtle Podcast, and a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu at New England Submission Fighting in Amherst, Massachusetts.