Bellator’s reigning middleweight champion, Johnny Eblen, has recently expressed strong opposition to the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in mixed martial arts.
This stance comes in direct response to Gordon Ryan‘s suggestion that the UFC might become more thrilling with a more relaxed stance on steroids.
Eblen, in a social media post and during his appearance on The MMA Hour, shared his concerns about the promotion of steroid use:
I just don’t think it’s a good way to promote athletes to do this type of stuff, because you have to understand athletes have a big influence on kids and young athletes, and even college athletes.
I just don’t think it’s a route that is sustainable for the long run, for people’s health, and just for sport.
Eblen expressed his admiration for Gordon Ryan’s skills but firmly disagreed with his stance on PEDs:
Don’t get me wrong, the guy’s amazing at what he does. Gordon is the best of the best.
I just don’t agree with him on a certain point when it comes to PEDs.I’m just anti-PED, I just don’t think it’s good for humans, especially for kids to be doing that s*it.
He emphasized that it’s about negatively influencing the next generation:
You might have the influence to have a kid do it, and that might ruin their life in the long run.
They might end up a train wreck later on, so that’s just kind of my viewpoint on it, I don’t agree with it, and I’m pretty much anti-PED and just stay away from that s*it.
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