Islam Makhachev and Bobby Green at UFC Vegas 49 faceoffs (Credits: UFC)
Islam Makhachev responds to Bobby Green’s allegations of using steroids
Islam Makhachev, the current UFC lightweight champion, reacted strongly after former opponent Bobby Green accused him of long-term steroid use. Before Makhachev won the 155-pound title in October of last year with a dominant performance against Charles Oliveira, he won an equally decisive bout against a last-minute replacement opponent, Green.
In February 2021, “King” replaced Beneil Dariush due to an injury, to face Makhachev in the main event at UFC Vegas 49.Makhachev took Green down and finished him with ground and pound in the first round, rendering Green unable to continue. Prior to his loss to Drew Dober in December, Green claimed that Makhachev and other Dagestani MMA fighters have been nurtured for success through the use of performance-enhancing drugs beginning at the age of 10.
“I was f*cking round on my YouTube, right, and I found this little video and it said Islam had a little trouble with drugs,” Green said. “I don’t see people talking about him? So, he was saying when he first came over that his school that he trained at in Russia, they just gave him vitamins. They been doing it since who knows when, when you start training.”
“Imagine if you gave someone steroids form the age of 10, 12, 13, 14, 15; how strong you would be… He was really strong, it makes sense now… I move with thousands of guys, that was interesting,” Green added. “I told my coach, ‘There was something interesting about Islam. I felt it. It’s just not human.’ (Now), it makes sense.”
This coming weekend , Makhachev will face featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski in the Octagon, hoping to make his first successful defence of his lightweight crown.
The Russian was questioned about Green’s assertion that he has achieved his success in the sport through unnatural means on UFC 284 media day, just before the super fight. Makhachev insisted that the strength boost Green experienced in Las Vegas at the beginning of last year wasn’t due to steroids, but rather, to Green’s dedication to the cause.
“I don’t know. I am not like Bobby Green. I am not drunk, do some bad stuff. I train hard, that’s why. That’s why he feel the power. I told you, all the fighters say, ‘I am going to defend his wrestling.’ … But, when fight is happening, when I take down my opponent, they all feel my power… This is not because I am good. It’s because I training all my life. That’s why.”
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