Hendo: Truth on Belfort may come out, like Lance Armstrong
Dan Henderson: “By the looks of it, yeah, obviously he was doing more than just TRT. He was abusing something. Obviously, we won’t know for sure unless …”
Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort have a trilogy fight on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 77 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Belfort won the last one at UFC Fight Night 32 on November 9, 2013. At the time both fighters were on Testosterone Replacement Therapy, but Henderson believes that was not the full extent of Belfort’s chemical help at the time.
“By the looks of it, yeah, obviously he was doing more than just TRT,” said Henderson during Thursday’s media day in Sao Paulo as transcribed by Guilherme Cruz for MMA FIghting. “He was abusing something. Obviously, we won’t know for sure unless somebody comes out and says they know, but I have no idea. I can only speculate.”
Henderson also expressed suspicions about Belfort’s fight with Jon Jones at UFC 152.
“It’s possible, you know?” said Hendo. “A lot of times the truth tends to come out eventually, like Lance Armstrong.”
Belfort became something of a poster child for TRT, but pointed out that 12 of the 14 fighters with a Therapeutic Use Exemption were Americans, but he, the Brazilian, has received the most criticism.
“Well, he’s also tested positive for steroids in the past, and since he’s tested for TRT and other things too,” said Henderson. “I think that if you look at the picture of both of us when we fought then, and a picture of both of us now, I mean, a picture says a lot. Obviously, he was doing a lot more than I was, my body hasn’t changed at all. I was barely doing any TRT, and I wasn’t abusing anything.”
“Mentally, I don’t think he’s as strong as I am, and I don’t think his heart is there either, as mine is. He’s tough, he’s talented, he’s been around a long time, but I think when it comes down to it, when he gets pressured, sometimes he breaks, and that’s what I’m hoping to do as well.
“I’m just gonna make sure that I beat him and not make mistakes. Last time, I made a couple mistakes that I’m not gonna do again. I’m gonna test him, test his conditioning, and see if he’s ready to go five rounds.”
