By Mike Chiappetta - Senior Writer
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Aug 20, 2012 - In women's MMA, there's only one superfight that can be made: Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg. Grappling assassin vs. knockout queen. Former Olympian vs. recent drug cheat. It's a match made in promotional heaven, but it isn't without its early roadblocks. The two have already publicly sparred over whether a fight should take place at Rousey's current division of bantamweight, Cyborg's old stomping grounds at featherweight, or a catch weight number in between.
That's only one issue that will need to resolved. Another stems from Cyborg's recent suspension. Manager Darin Harvey has overseen Rousey's career from before her amateur days, and he says that if a fight between the two is officially proposed, he would request random drug testing to ensure a level playing field. But he's not talking just about VADA-style testing. On Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, Harvey said he'd go one step further and request hair follicle testing to ensure that Cyborg hasn't been using any drugs while on suspension.
Hair follicles capture drug molecules, and testing of the sample is able to detect drugs for up to three months after its original ingestion, according to drug testing experts.
Harvey said he would be willing to pay for the testing to ensure the costs would not dissuade participation.
"Ill tell you why," he said. "I believe this is not the first time she used steroids; it's only the first time shes been caught.
"I wasn't surprised," he continued. "People have speculated but you couldn't really prove it. Now, its been proven. This is my belief. Im not a doctor but I've been around athletes my whole life and I believe that when you take steroids, you alternate your body permanently. Maybe you lose some of the muscle mass, but a lot remains. So shes permanently altered her body. And I want everything to be to our advantage. She's been taking male hormones, and it's not only unethical, it's freaking dangerous, and you're endangering the lives of the athletes. She's coming in there basically with man-like strength or male hormones in her body, and she's endangering the lives of our athletes."
Harvey said the decision to request such testing wasn't a personal one, and that while he's made very critical comments about Cyborg in the past, that he has heard through mutual acquaintances that she's a very nice person.
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