Ellenberger: You can tell PED users by the way they look
Jake Ellenberger: “You can tell when you clinch up with somebody. Probably the biggest test is by the way they look, but I’m not going to name names.”
PEDs are now widely acknowledged as one of the central problems in the sport, and the UFC has committed millions to helping fight their use. Hopefully Bellator MMA does the same. And the leading Athletic Commissions are likely to up the penalties from the current nine/twelve month suspension of license, and 30% of purse.
Among the chorus clamoring for reform is fighters who are clean. UFC welterweight Jake Ellenberger spoke with to Rick J Lee and said he has fought opponents who were taking PEDs.
At least two of Ellenberger’s former opponents have failed drug screens. Nate Marquardt tested positive for nandrolone in 2005, and Jake Shields tested positive for diuretics in 2012.
“I know for a fact I’ve fought guys on PEDs,” said Ellenberger as transcribed by David St. Martin for MMAFighting.com. “I’ve had guys tell me that after the fight. I won’t say any names but you can tell. You can tell when you clinch up with somebody. Probably the biggest test is by the way they look, but I’m not going to name names. It’s very common.”
“It’s good for the sport,” Ellenberger said of the UFC’s plan to dramatically increase random drug testing. “It’s good for competition, especially when there’s heavier penalties. I think guys are going to tend to think about it a little more if that’s their only income.
“At the end of the day every professional sport has guys that are cutting corners or cheating.”
Ellenberger won six in a row in the UFC, and then dropped the last three, to Rory MacDonald, Robbie Lawler, and Kelvin Gastelum. He fight Josh Koscheck at UFC 184 on Feb 28, and promises a new look.
Rebounding from a split decision loss to Carlos Condit in his 2009 UFC debut, Ellenberger surged through the welterweight division winning six straight over the next two years.
Now having dropped his last three bouts in the UFC, Ellenberger says he’s ready for a return to his old ways against Josh Koscheck at UFC 184.
“The way I view the sport has changed,” said Ellenberger. “The way I view myself has changed. There’s the worst case scenario in your head and then you can actually go so much farther then where you think you can. Really not having a choice, I’ve definitely been there the last few weeks. I’ve been in absolute hell. I’ve seen some dark places in the last few weeks. It’s changed the way I view combat sports overall.
“You won’t see a nice guy Jake Ellenberger. You’ll see ‘The Juggernaut.’ You’ll see a guy who wants to leave a pool of blood. A guy who wants to leave brain matter on the post.”