Brock Lesnar Storms Out of ESPN Interview When Subject Turns to Steroids

Brock Lesnar, the massive NCAA champion wrestler turned pro wrestler turned mixed martial arts fighter who will fight Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight title next month, was profiled on the ESPN show E:60 tonight:

ESPN correspondent Tom Farrey started to ask about performance-enhancing drugs, prompting Lesnar to storm out of their interview.

Farrey said in the voiceover, "Lesnar's physique also raised big questions about steroids."

The viewers then saw a portion of Farrey's interview with Lesnar in which Farrey said, "You're just so big and you come out of pro wrestling," and was then cut off by Lesnar saying, "That's it. We're done. Thanks, guys," and walking off.

A moment later, Lesnar is shown saying, "I know what he's asking. I have never failed a f---ing drug test."

The profile also showed UFC President Dana White saying, "In this day and age, with everything that's going on with sports, if you're taking steroids you're a moron." And Farrey noted that UFC fighters are drug tested. So it's not like this was an attempt at gotcha journalism by Farrey.

Which is why I don't get why Lesnar didn't just sit down and answer Farrey's questions. The bottom line is that every big-time athlete has to be ready for steroid questions in this day and age, and the calm, even-keeled way that Usain Bolt answers the questions would be a good model for Lesnar to emulate.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

10-21-2008 @ 10:40PM

Don A. said...

Does anyone really doubt that he doesn't take steroids? I thought it was universally understood that he did.

10-22-2008 @ 3:19PM

Justin said...

When you're in a high profile, elite organization these days; you cannot get away with using steroids. Brock is a huge guy, but he was always a big guy. But he's going to have to realize that he's going to get questions like that because he's an elite athlete and he's well-known. Walking out of an interview like that will bring perceptions from others. But you don't hear a guy like Steve Carwin who's very similar in size and fighting in the UFC and then destroying his opponents getting questioned if he takes steroids. He's not as well known of a fighter as Brock; he's got to realize also that it's the celebrity stamp that he has, too.
Do I think he's taking steroids? Absolutely not; the UFC wouldn't even let him in the door.

10-21-2008 @ 10:25PM

Eric said...

I don't know about everyone else, but doesn't all of the testing seem futile? Athletes will look for any advantage they can, and some of the cheats aren't even illegal yet (ex:blood doping). There are many different kinds of steroids, some that are detectable for long or short periods of time ... some that are used for weight gain or weight cutting ... others like growth hormone that can be virtually undetectable.

Does anyone here think that Randy, Forrest, Anderson, GSP, or Penn are on Roids? Personally, I don't ... so it's not as if the guys who are taking the stuff are necessarily benefiting from it anyway.

Roids or no roids, Sherk doesn't beat BJ Penn. Fedor obviously doesn't use roids, and he is the best fighter in the world.

If it wasn't for baseball historians complaining about homerun records being beaten, we probably wouldn't be in this whole steroid mess!

Bottomline - I'd be upset too if I was falsely accused of such a thing when I had never failed a test, been ratted out, or been caught with the stuff. I would feel that it was an attempt to get publicity, while discrediting my hard work and commitment. I'm glad he walked out of there, and do you know what else he is going to do? He is going to piss clean at UFC 91 !

10-21-2008 @ 10:48PM

I don't think any of the guys you mention take steroids, but they are rampant in all sports where strength is an asset; lots off MMA guys do. Roids do give you an advantage, but skill wins the day.
My previous post was mis-worded: it should've read "does anyone doubt that Lesnar takes steroids?" I would bet the mortgage that he does. Users are easy to spot: hypermuscularity, a "puffed up" look (water retention in the muscles), oversized trapezius muscles (the top of the shoulders that lead to the neck), an overly thick neck, heavy brow and jaw, among a few...Lesnar is a slam dunk.

10-21-2008 @ 11:25PM

Lesnar is huge ... always has been. Do I think he used roids in his wrestling days? Maybe, but I highly doubt that he does now.

The signs of use that you mentioned don't make much sense ... for instance his neck and traps are huge because every part of his body is huge! He would look kinda weird with a pencil neck. Balding, acne, liver problems, etc. are also signs of steroid use, but he shows no such signs and you conveniently didn't mention those!

Personally, I'm a muscular guy and I have been weight training for 10 years ... poor athletes who can't lift as much as I can accuse me of using the stuff with relative frequency. I never have and never will use roids, but because I am a good athlete with an even better work ethic, I am stuck with the stigma!

Roids are for poor athletes who want to be better athletes ... What they don't know is "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit!"

10-22-2008 @ 12:48AM

Frederick said...

I am of those who believed Ken caminitti when he said 75% of MLB players used some types of steroids.

I think people have the wrong idea of steroids in general they see the guy sticking a needle in there .....

Amphetamines uppers HGH there is so many of them.

These guys make so much money they can pay a scientist to find the next untracable maybe even legal product

Its a battle that will never be won in my eyes I think what needs to be done is proper education

10-22-2008 @ 6:21AM

steve said...

I took drug test couple days ago.
Noone followed me into bathroom to watch me.
I could of very easy cheated, Meaning had someone go into tube. Good testing should of been DNA. This however is expensive. With all major schools and sports, This should be done once a year. Millions are made by schools or sports, They should foot the bill.It is also unfair to say anyone is doing it without proof. And that's end of story.

10-22-2008 @ 8:09AM

They often require the testee to undress to some degree first, and they immediately check the temperature of the urine.

I don't believe that MMA fighters are able to cheat the actual test ... they just work around it with undetectables, and by stopping use within a certain time.

10-22-2008 @ 6:48PM

Ric Gillespie said...

Just my two-cents, but the interviewer, in my eyes, certainly seemed to be angling for some sort of groundbreaking admission, which would be an attempt to create news, rather than report on it. I'm not judging, but do disagree with the opinion of this not being "gotcha" journalism. I'm also not saying that Lesnar has never used steroids or any illegal supplements, but as he pointed out, he's never failed a piss test, and a great deal of those results are public information, so it's not like Farrey, with just a little bit of research, couldn't have answered his own question before asking it.

10-26-2008 @ 11:46AM

Patrick said...

You are correct Ric, this was 'gotcha jornalisim'. ESPN should have never accepted this piece. And this A-hole MD Smith should not be reporting it like the outcome is true because Brock was angry about being blind sided.

10-22-2008 @ 7:52PM

Brayan said...

The age of fame. At least they addressed the very real fact that a famous person has a titleshot before a guy who fought his way up, Seems like the comparison between MMA and Boxing is more visible now.

10-22-2008 @ 8:23PM

Who do you think is more deserving than Brock of a title shot? The heavyweight division in the UFC isn't exactly stacked ... Brock poses a huge threat to every fighter at heavyweight ... is it because of his amazing skill? No, but he is still dangerous non the less.

WIll you still consider Brock unworthy after he beats Randy?

10-23-2008 @ 1:27AM

barneyrin said...

screw you you nazified moron

10-23-2008 @ 4:57PM

DAVE HALL said...

DONT YOU THINK THESE GUYS GET PRETTY DAM TIRED OF ANSWERING THE SAME QUESTIONS? LETS START ASKING THE REPORTERS AND ALL THE REST OF THE KNOW IT ALL PEOPLE PERSONAL QUESTIONS AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY AND HOW THEY REACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

10-23-2008 @ 6:11PM

Aaron said...

Just because a guy is huge and muscular, doesn't mean he takes roids. Almost everytime I go to a gym, I hear someone accusing someone else of doping because they hav great muscle depth. It really pisses me off to hear someone accuse me or my friends that we dope. I have been working for what I have for five yaers, and don't want to be accused of being a quitter. I would probably leave to. Anyone who does dope should just curl up and die for bringing this mess upon us winners.

10-23-2008 @ 11:53PM

Phillip said...

Lesnar is probably not on steroids. He has probably been asked that question 100 times. I am a competitive bodybuilder, so obvisouly I get that question 1000 times a day. I get so pissed when people ask me that crap. I have been clean my whole life, and this steroid thing, people should just stop caring. If someone is on steroids, who gives a crap! 80% of baseball is on steroids, So should we just ban every sport in the world. Steroids will be used for the rest of time, until some other drug is made.

Watch Bigger Stronger Faster the movie, and it will change your negative view on steroids forever.

10-24-2008 @ 8:42AM

Erik said...

Lesnar thought the interviewer had some dirt on him about steroids. This is why he freaked out. Lesnar is afraid he is going to get caught and feared this was going to bite him during this enterview. This guy is a joke. Why else would he get up and leave the interview. The dirt is out there and Lesnar knows it's just a matter of time before he is going to be exposed for steroids. This guy would fit in real nice with Conseco, Bonds, and all the other cheaters. Lesnar it's just a matter of time big guy. I guess that good country eating is what help build you up right Lesnar?

Erik

10-24-2008 @ 11:45AM

Phillip - Totally agree
Erik - Totally DISAGREE

Whatever happened to needing evidence before you make accusations? What they tried to do to him is slander, and as I said above I'm glad he walked out of there.

Athlete's should be allowed to make decisions for themselves. Tell me if this makes any sense ... If you took Andro (Androstenedione) in 2004 it was a perfectly legal way to increase muscle growth and repair. If you took Andro in 2005 thru present day you are considered a criminal and sports organizations / media will vilify you any chance they can get. What's next to be banned? Creatine, Nitric Oxide supplements, Amino acids ... If it's not bad enough that our government regulates our every move, now we have private industry telling us what we can and can't do!

LET ATHLETES COMPETE!

10-24-2008 @ 9:37PM

Eric,

Lesnar could have just cleared the air right there. This is a simple question asked and answered. IMO he thought they had something and wasn't going to confront.

10-25-2008 @ 7:50PM

Jake said...

I understand that people can get big without taking steroids. I dont just look at brock in such disbelief of his muscles that i discredit him immediately. That being said, how much are any of you guys willing to bet that he's not using/ nor has ever used them? Lets start with him "always" being huge. The first times we have seen brock competing is in college. I'm in college right now and my friend on the baseball team says that there is only one guy on the entire team that isnt juicing. That doesnt make him a user, but it just adds to the pheasability of the argument. Then brock moves to the wwf. I used to watch those monsters when i was 12 and had the sense to know that they were all roided up. The last thing i heard about the wwf is that chris benoit went psycho and killed his family, followed by a study about the correlation between wreslers, steroids, and the shocking number of them dying before they were 50. Also in the interview regarding the wwf days, brock says that he "doesnt remember 2 years of his life" because of all the substances that he abused. Once again, that doesnt make him guilty, but the potential for somebody to put one thing in their body they know is really bad for it opens up the chances that they wouldnt mind putting other harmful substances in their body as well. Then as mentioned before there is the stereotypical roid bodytype, but anyone who knows about steroids knows that there are many different ones that do many different things to your body so that arguement isnt really what im basing my case off of. The fact that he's "never failed a piss test", however, doesnt make a case for brock not taking substances. Yeah he may not be taking steroids (synthetic testosterone), but there are still other "performance enhancing drugs" such as hgh which is well known and widely used because of it being undetectable so the drug test factor wouldnt have any bearing on brocks decision to use those substances. The smoking gun is brock's behavior in the interview. Brock became defensive immediately and stormed out in a fashion that brought up several images in my mind: Barry Bonds, Mark Mcguire, and Miguel Tejada. The fact of the matter is there are people out there that cheat. It is not a guarantee that brock does or doesnt but i wouldnt rule it out as a possibility. Personally I hope he does, and Couture still wipes the mat up with him...

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