Former UFC title challenger and current broadcaster Chael Sonnen hit back after one fan accused Miesha Tate of using steroids.
Some have accused Tate of using steroids to make a move down to flyweight for her upcoming fight against Lauren Murphy. This will be the first time she’s competed at 125lbs after fighting at bantamweight for the majority of her career.
Sonnen recently said on his podcast that the best evidence for spotting a PED user is the eye test and that he among others is the best at identifying them.
The controversy started after Tate posted an update on her physique ahead of her flyweight debut at UFC 276.
“I am officially the lightest I have ever walked around in my adult life! Flyweights are you ready for some cake?” Tate tweeted.
After one fan asked Sonnen if he felt Tate’s physical transformation was natural or enhanced by steroids, Sonnen shut down that notion and defended her.
“No. I feel compelled to respond,” Sonnen said of Tate’s accusers. “I am quick to point the finger, but there’s two sides to that coin. I have known her personally since she was a ‘cadet’ and there has never been an untimely body transformation. [Miesha’s] physique is a window into her work ethic.”
Sonnen has been outspoken about PED use in MMA following testing positive for a PED before his scheduled fight against Wanderlei Silva back in 2014. The fight was canceled three times that year but the two would eventually meet in Bellator in 2017.
Sonnen also accused boxing legend Mike Tyson of using PEDs ahead of his comeback fight against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
As Tate looks to get off to a good start in her new division, Sonnen believes it’s important to give her credit for the hard work she’s put in in the gym, rather than accusing her of wrongdoing.
What are your thoughts on Chael Sonnen’s defense of Miesha Tate?