UFC Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos feels no need to withhold his opinion of suspended contender Alistair Overeem and anyone else who uses artificial enhancements in their fighting career. Dos Santos, who'll rematch Cain Velasquez in his second title defense at UFC 152 this fall, spoke to ESPN Brasil this week about the controversial Dutch fighter.

By way of ESPN's U.S. MMA blog we have dos Santos' words:

"I would like (Overeem) to do a test -- a blood test. I think we both need to do that. I want a clean fight and he needs to prove he is not under any kind of substances." "Using drugs is completely unnecessary, and I am the living proof. I'm the champion, and I never used any kind of forbidden substances. Fighting a guy that uses these kinds of drugs is completely unfair and useless. With or without any kind of authorization [for using testosterone], the fighter who uses those substances is never fighting with his own skills. He is enhancing his power with those drugs."

Dos Santos said he would be willing to take the same blood tests and that ongoing random blood testing is the best way to "deal with this situation."

Overeem infamously failed a urine test with testosterone ratios over 2.5 times the legal limit in advance of a scheduled fight with dos Santos at UFC 146. He received a 9 month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission and JDS fought Frank Mir instead. Ironically, Mir was receiving testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) before the UFC 146 bout, having received a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) from the NSAC in advance of the fight.

Dos Santos also said that he believes Overeem should have to win at least one more fight in the UFC before getting a title shot.

It's good to see a high profile fighter like dos Santos taking a stand against not only flagrant rule breaking but also the kind of steroid use that is approved by athletic commissions.

SBN coverage of UFC 152



