That’s correct: Rothwell wasn’t suspended by the Wisconsin athletic commission, which only gave him a light slap on the wrist for his elevated testosterone levels (an administrative warning to be specific), but the UFC swooped in to suspend Big Ben for 9 months because of his failed test.
I argued with plenty people that in his fight against Brandon Vera, Ben looked better than he ever has 13 minutes into a fight, and it was probably due to his TRT usage, and now we see that he was pumped to the gills.
Yes, I get that TRT doesn’t help you punch, but it definitely helps with recovery in training camps and gives you a boost to get in better shape. If it didn’t make you better, why would you use it? This is Ben’s explanation:
“Following my victory at UFC 164 I was informed I tested for an elevated level of testosterone, this came as a shock because I had applied for and was granted a TRT exemption and was doing so under the supervision of a doctor. I was tested every week for eight weeks prior to the fight and was well under the acceptable level each time.
“I had applied for TRT after an endocrinologist and Wisconsin athletic doctors diagnosed me with hypogonadism. They felt it was caused by a car crash in 1999 that left me with severe head trauma and in a coma. Doctors told me TRT was something that could stop the hypogonadism from degrading my body.
“After getting the news of the elevated test, I spoke with the Wisconsin Athletic Commission and they decided to give me an administrative warning. I was told they didn’t think I tried to cheat, but felt some punishment was necessary.
“I have now been informed the UFC has elected to suspend me for nine months. I am not going to fight the suspension as I feel ultimately it is my responsibility to make sure I stay under the acceptable limit. I am deeply sorry for this mistake and apologize to my fans, family and friends.”
So Ben Rothwell had a horrible head injury, and he continues to fight? This whole situation is weird.
