26-year-old Mikey Musumeci will defend his 26-pound One Championship gold belt in a co-main event grappling superfight clash against Osamah Almarwai at the sold-out 1stBank Center in Colorado this Friday, May 5, at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video.
In a recent interview with One Championship, Musumeci talked about the state of Jiu-Jitsu and how steroid use has become a huge problem.
Doping in Jiu-Jitsu has become such a big issue. Recently, six Brazilian athletes were suspended by USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency) after being caught in tests carried out at the IBJJF Worlds Gi and No G in 2022.
Musumeci stated:
“Honestly, a lot of steroids. No, like, seriously, it’s ridiculous,”
“All these guys just injecting into their butts. You know how I feel about steroids. That’s why I love ONE Championship; they test athletes. At least I don’t have to deal with these guys injecting steroids all year; they have to at least cycle off a month to fight me. So that’s nice. And, again, the impact on generations if you take steroids. What are you telling the next generation? Oh, you have to take steroids to be a champion. So now you’re telling the next generation to take drugs? Is that a great impact you’re having on others? No, it’s a s*** impact. Like, what are you doing? I’m just really against it.”
On what would happen to Jiu-Jitsu if there was regular testing:
“It would be such a healthier, less toxic environment. It’s just these meatheads that are on so much steroids and so masculine and macho, and it’s just so stupid. I feel like it would just be a safer place for everyone.”
He talked about how steroids are also affecting technical development of Jiu-Jitsu:
“It would be a more technical jiu-jitsu,” he added. “So a lot of the best people, their jiu-jitsu works because theoretically, they have the strength to do their positions, but if they didn’t have that steroid strength, what would they be doing? They would need more positions; they would need more variations. So I think jiu-jitsu would be ten times more technical than it is today if there were no steroids.”
On what happens to Jiu-Jitsu players when they use steroids:
“Besides all the bad things it does to your body and the bipolar. I’ve been around all these steroid people my whole life, and they’re all bipolar as hell. The mood swings just destroy your brain and body. It’s horrible.
“And it makes these people age so much. I’m 26, and I look like I’m 19. But then some people are my age or like a year older than me, and they look 45. It’s ridiculous. I don’t know, I just feel like it’s so bad. But what Chatri’s doing at ONE Championship, he’s pushing drug tests. He’s changing jiu-jitsu with this, and I feel over time, we can make a difference and change it.”
