PED use in the Jiu-Jitsu is extremely widespread according the famed MMA and BJJ instructor Firas Zahabi, and no just at the elite level.

Zahabi was recently a guest on the popular youtube channel ‘More Plates More Dates’ which is hosted by Derrick who is a well respected PED expert.

Zahabi claimed that PED use was way more widespread in BJJ than in MMA and especially at the amateur lower belt level:

Derrick: “You know like uh reputation of the drug use in bjj relative to mma? Competitively in brazilian jiu jitsu it seems to be one of the most drug-ridden sports?”

Firas Zahabi: “Oh my god. Oh my god it’s worse than mma. it’s worse than mma. You’ve got guys going in like local Jiu-Jitsu tournaments blue belt level and they’re jacked out of their mind and they’re wrestling some kids like it makes no sense. It’s insane. It’s insane like and the thing is their jiu jitsu is ugly like to me when i see they’re just just tough it’s just it’s just brutish. It’s not sophisticated at all but they don’t know it. They think their jits is the same as that other guy… Why? Because it’s effective. There’s a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Like for instance there’s a guy named Palhares in our sport mma. Okay he would just drop down grab a guy’s ankle and rip it off. Now the guy was effective but his jiu jitsu was not sophisticated. In my opinion it was good but it wasn’t as refined as other other practitioners. Now i always said in my opinion I thought he was on PED’s then later on he got busted he got busted on PED’s.”

In a recent video, Coach Firas Zahabi discusses the impact of steroids on one’s Jiu-Jitsu training and performance. He differentiates between being “effective” and being “technical.” He emphasizes that many instructors and competitors who use steroids may appear effective due to their enhanced strength, but they often lack proper technical skills. This strength allows them to perform and compete at levels higher than their technical understanding would typically permit. For example, a blue belt on steroids might perform at a purple belt level not because of skill, but due to added strength.

Coach Zahabi recounts his personal experiences with instructors who used steroids. He describes how these instructors were able to overpower others despite technical deficiencies because their physical strength compensated for their lack of technique. This reliance on physical power over technique distorts the essence of Jiu-Jitsu, which is about efficiency and leveraging one’s body intelligently, not merely overpowering an opponent.

He also points out the widespread use of steroids at elite levels of Jiu-Jitsu, noting that it’s common across various tiers of skill. The coach argues that even the most technical practitioners at the elite level may use steroids, which complicates the perception of skill and success in the sport. He highlights the ethical and practical dilemmas faced by practitioners who wish to compete naturally in an environment where steroid use is prevalent and usually unchecked due to lack of testing.