The heated exchange of accusations between Phil Baroni and Joe Riggs makes some people believe that it was just being part of their scheduled fight last Saturday. It may seem that their doing this to promote their match. However, if we take the other side of the story, there could be some basis why we should look at their story. Performance enhancing drugs and steroids is not new to MMA. In fact there were some athletes who just tested positive for steroids and got suspended like Sean Sherk. Fighters in this contact sport may depend on performance enhancers to bulk up and increase their stamina and strength. If you don’t have these things you will just be beaten inside the cage.

The issue of using performance enhancing drugs started when Joe Riggs said that he believes Baroni benefits from some sort of chemical assistance. “He always shows up in shape, looking shredded and puffed up, but I think he’ll be pharmaceutically enhanced, too,” Riggs said. He also implied that with the present look of Baroni it is likely that the guy is using steroids even if Baroni have not been tested positive for any banned substance during his recent fights. “Just because he doesn’t test positive for steroids doesn’t mean he’s not on them right now. … I think if he is — and I’m not saying for sure that he is — but the classic sign of a guy like that is, he comes out hard and then poops out fast.”

Riggs may be quick to raise this issue because of a previous positive test of Baroni for 2 different kinds of horse steroids in 2007. Even if Baroni denied the results, he was still sanctioned a 9 month suspension. One of the popular anabolic steroids used in horses is Winstrol which is also being used by professional athletes to have a trimmed body and great muscle mass.

Baroni on the other hand, did not let this accusation ruined his reputation again. He immediately counters the statement of Riggs saying that he’s crossing the line. “Obviously, I’m not pharmaceutically enhanced. I’ve been fighting all over the world and tested. He can say whatever he wants, he’s already making excuses.”

During a one on one interview, Baroni states that he believes in himself and believes in his training. “I believe in what I’ve done here at Couture’s gym. I’ve changed, I’m a different fighter now. I used to be a prize fighter. I lived a bad lifestyle.” He is a changed man now which he credits his wife in helping change that lifestyle. He continue saying that he is now a mixed martial artist who lives, breathes and eats the fight game.

Baroni calls the statement of Riggs ridiculous and said that his positive test for anabolic steroids in California is a bogus one. He argued that an independent lab said he was clean proving his critics wrong.

Riggs win their match via unanimous decision in the StrikeForce Match in St. Louis last Saturday.

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