Bas Rutten on HRT: If You’re Taking it for Performance Enhancing Drugs, You’re a Loser

Drug usage in sports has long been a hot-button issue, and mixed martial arts is not immune to the discussion. The conversation has reached a fever pitch recently, however, ever since former UFC middleweight title contender Nate Marquardt did not meet medical requirements for his UFC on Versus 4 main event fight against Rick Story. His failure to gain clearance was due to elevated levels of testosterone that he and his camp say is due to the hormone replacement therapy he was on.

While Marquardt’s situation awaits a ruling from the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission, expected this Wednesday, the argument over HRT for athletes rages on.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten, UFC veterans Frank Trigg and Dennis Hallman, and Strikeforce fighter Ovince St. Preux recently broached the topic on HDNet’s “Inside MMA.” Never known as one to hold his tongue, Rutten weighed in with some strong opinions on the matter in an interesting exchange with Hallman, who has had to undergo HRT due to an intestinal disease.