Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor’s absence from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug-testing pool has raised some eyebrows, but Chael Sonnen recently said he doesn’t believe “Notorious” is taking steroids.
TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter reported last month that “Notorious” hadn’t been tested by USADA in 2022. Fighters under UFC contract must submit random samples to the organization to be considered active on the roster.
And UFC president Dana White confirmed on the weekend that the Irishman must rejoin the program for at least six consecutive months before he can step inside the Octagon again.
McGregor has caught the eye of many through his social media channels, consistently posting photos and videos of himself and his muscled-up frame. He’s currently filming a “Road House” remake, and along with him looking noticeably bigger since his last fight in July 2021, some have accused McGregor of taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Sonnen Thinks McGregor Is ‘Bloated,’ Not on Steroids
However, one individual who doesn’t think Notorious is taking advantage of residing outside of USADA’s testing pool is Sonnen. In a recent YouTube video on his channel, the former three-time UFC title challenger explained his thought process regarding McGregor.
“Conor comes out and he looks big,” Sonnen said (h/t MMA News). “Then it gets revealed that he’s not in the USADA testing pool. ‘Conor’s taking anabolic agents.’ No, no. Guys, two plus two does not equal four, not if that’s your two.
“It’s just not that way. Conor did not look overly strong, by the way. That’s not what you saw in those pictures. You saw a guy who was bloated. Why would he be bloated? Well, he’s bloated because he’s not sweating out six pounds a day like his body’s used to doing and had done every day for the last decade.”
Sonnen continued, pointing to McGregor’s “good DNA.”
“So he’s retained a lot of water weight. ‘Ah, no, Chael, look closer, he’s ripped up,’ Conor’s always been ripped up!” Sonnen continued. “Conor’s always been blessed with good DNA and a great big, strong body, whether it was at 145 pounds, 153 against Floyd, 155, 170 pounds against Cowboy Cerrone. He’s always looked that way.”
Sonnen Gave 2 Reasons Why McGregor Elected to Leave the USADA Testing Pool
“The American Gangster” went on to theorize why the Irishman was no longer undergoing random testing with the agency. First, Sonnen said because of McGregor’s tendency to always be traveling, having to consistently update USADA on his whereabouts would be a nuisance.
“‘Well, Chael, we have more evidence. He’s been removed from the USADA pool.’ Okay, let’s take a look at that. There’s a few reasons you would want to be removed,” Sonnen continued. “First and foremost, for the life someone lives like McGregor, bouncing around, he’s got homes in different countries, let alone media, obligations, and sponsorships. With USADA, there is a whereabouts violation… You see where that becomes a problem if you’re Conor McGregor?”
Another reason Sonnen floated was that McGregor has been rehabilitating his leg since breaking it at UFC 264 in July 2021, and that he may have been prescribed something by a doctor that could go against USADA’s rules.
“You do have the other side of the coin,” Sonnen noted. “The other side of the coin is simply, ‘I am going to listen to my doctor and I’m going to listen to him immediately. That could put me in violation.’ Demetrious Johnson said, ‘I’m the champion of the world and I don’t know what’s allowed and what isn’t.’ … If you’re working with a doctor, particularly for rehab, you now have to a level of research.
“Doctor says, ‘I’m going to give you this,’ you say, ‘Okay, I’ve got to reference that.’ … This got tested with BJ Penn. They made IVs illegal… he goes into the emergency room, the doctor immediately gives him an IV… that became banned… You can either absolutely adhere to the rules or you are smarter and more responsible to remove yourself,” Sonnen continued. “If you stay in the pool, that (would be) the irresponsible move.”
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Conor McGregor Backed By Former UFC Title Challenger Amid Steroid Accusations