KJ Noons & King Mo illegally take Compressed oxygen between rounds

a new foreign substance allegedly went into play for select fighters of last night’s Strikeforce card. These screenshots below show a substance being ingested by King Mo and KJ Noons (coincidentally betting favorites) before their respective bouts.



Both containers appear to be the same substance and were ingested similarly by both fighters. They also resemble bottles of pure compressed oxygen like these that when ingested, could considerably improve an athlete’s stamina & cardio. What makes this interesting is that compressed oxygen is a substance banned from nearly every endurance sport, including MMA; in every state, including Texas. Check out what we found on the Texas state athletic comission’s website that outlines the rules of what supplies are allowed to accompany a fighter to the ring/cage:

(i) A second shall be responsible for a contestant’s corner supplies.

(1) Approved supplies are ice, which must be in an ice bag or Department approved container, water, cotton swabs, gauze pads, clean towels, Adrenalin 1:10,000, Avitene, Thromblin, petroleum jelly or other surgical lubricant, medical diachylon tape, Enswel, and electrolytes. Electrolytes must be brought to the ring in the manufacturer’s sealed container. Electrolytes must be opened for the first time in the presence of a representative of the Department. All coagulants shall be in a container with the proper manufacturer’s label and not contaminated by any foreign substance.

(2) All containers shall be properly labeled with the manufacturer’s label and not contaminated by any foreign substance.

(3) The use of an unapproved substance may result in disciplinary action.

(4) Only water and electrolytes shall be permitted for hydration of a contestant between rounds. Honey, glucose, or sugar, or any other substance may not be mixed with the water.

A complete list of rules are here

http://www.license.state.tx.us/sports/sportsrules.htm#61111

The first thing you’ll notice that whatever that substance was, it’s not on the approved list above. For those of you wondering what the big deal is, the concept of breathing pure oxygen can help a free-diver double submersible time. It also helps climbers breathe at high altitude so that they can continue to ascend mountains at an normal pace, despite thin air. The entire concept behind the compressed-oxygen spray is to keep an athlete from tiring out, which would be OK, except when one person has this cardio-boosting puffer while his opponent doesn’t. Even if both sets of fighters in last night’s Strikeforce card were utilizing the oxygen supplement, it didn’t seem like there was any way to regulate how much either fighter ingested. Plainly, the more pure oxygen you consume, the better your cardio will be for the duration of the fight, and this introduces a significant variable in last night’s performances that we’ve never seen before.

Let’s suppose it was an asthma inhaler, the same concept holds true about its potential benefits to a fighter should he/she ingest it before competing. There’s a long documented history of asthma tablets being crushed up and mixed into sports drinks & water bottles of combat athletes in boxing matches. These boxers all got a second wind during their illegally contested bouts. The most notorious trainer to be accused of spiking his fighter’s water was Panama Lewis, who was banned from cornering boxers for his alleged role in removing an ounce of padding from Luis Resto’s gloves in a fight that ended up costing William Ray Collins Jr. his eyesight, boxing career, and eventually his life.

Although no deaths were caused last night (phew!), modifying safety equipment, or utilizing substances that give one fighter a clear advantage have legal and sometimes lethal ramifications. In King Mo’s case, it was a title fight, but he lost and it’s doubtful that Feijao’s camp will protest the outcome. However, in KJ Noon’s already controversial win (due to a haymaker that landed after the first round bell and an illegal knee to a downed opponent after the fight was waved-off), this may or may not become a problem should Jorge Gurgel decide to protest. We hope you to gain some transparency on the subject, all I know is they can’t pin this one on Lee Harvey Oswald.

It appears that both fighters were using a TRUO2 Portable Oxygen Can. According to their official site it can "Maximize Power and Explosiveness! *Do More Reps or Sets in the Gym! *Increase Endurance and Stamina! *Dramatically Reduce Recovery Times! *Get more out of your Sports and Fitness Training! *Reach Your Goals in Less Time! *Improve Mental Focus and Clarity!". Here is a picture of the spray from their site.

Get some for Lashley now!!!

they should just simply allow it.

does no harm right?
they allow it in every other sport!!

compressed oxygen is a substance banned from nearly every endurance sport, including MMA; in every state, including Texas.

So it's not a matter of if they should allow it,they don't,and when one fighter is breathing in that for an advantage while his opponent is just breathing crappy 20% oxygen arena air,it obviously gives one an unfair edge over the other.

(even though Mo lost,theres no doubt his cardio looked like night and day compared to his Mousasi fight,he looked alot fresher and overall better,which at 1st I put down to,he'd put the extra work in the gym,this now makes me doubt that,since they say 6 or 7 puffs can last you up to an hour)

I don't know if it can do any harm or what the health risks are to an athelete breathing in that stuff,while in a high paced fight,but still,the stuff is illegal,The fighters and his team should know that and Strikeforce and the officials deffinitely should of,and not allowed it in the 1st place,so taking it or any other substance that gives you an edge,that is not allowed during a MMA fight,is just plain and simple, cheating.

Whats to stop them puffing up a few minutes beforehand, behind closed doors just before their entrance?


Think we'll be seeing more fighter doing this now. Although overuse of 100% oxygen does cause some risks. Like collapsed airways in the lungs and severe irritation in airways.

So hope we dont see fighters abusing this training and in fighting.

I just think since it's illegal to use in MMA,then if caught using it anywhere,they should face the consqences of using a banned substance.

Yes it's nowhere near the level of other substances that they are not allowed to use,but it still comes down to the fact,that they are not allowed to use it and if they do use it,they have broken the pretty straight forward rules that are in place,just like you can't add lotion to the body or like it says in the article,you can't add honey or other safe products to your water.

Them are the rules,they all know them and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with breaking them.

Its been given the ok by the Comission I heard. Anyway people need to stop being so picky. Its Oxygen and people are worried its illegal! Seriously it it gives Athletes more Cardio I think its a great thing everyone should start using it because im sick of seeing fighters gas so quickly!

If the comission allowed it before hand then,I've no problems with it.
I was just under the impression that it was banned but they used it anyway.

It's not the 20% oxygen that we breath though is it,so in this case both fighters should of had it(which is why,if it has been allowed,it looks more like a mistake covered up and that decision happened after the fact or surely everyone would of had a can)

I'm sick of seeing fighters gas also,but surely thats a thing that needs sorting out in training and not a spray can.

Yeah your right,the commision have said it was ok,but it still seems like a ruling they made after the fact,which to me seems completely wrong.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation believes no harm or foul got in the way of this past Saturday's "Strikeforce: Houston."

Susan Stanford, the TDLR's Public Information Officer, today told MMAjunkie.com that Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and K.J. Noons were within their rights to use bottled oxygen prior to competition.

Additionally, the TDLR found no lapses in officiating with Noon's second-round TKO of Jorge Gurgel or Chad Griggs' second-round TKO of Bobby Lashley.

The regulatory body, which oversees the state's Combative Sports Program, went under the microscope when several reports questioned officials' handling of the event, which took place at the 18,000-seat Toyota Center in Houston and aired live on Showtime.

Cameras spotted Lawal and Noons taking hits off of what was later determined to be portable oxygen cans prior to their fights against Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante and Gurgel, respectively.

And while many have suggested Lawal and Noons could have gained an unfair advantage with the breathing aid, Stanford said oxygen is not prohibited by the commission (Combative Sports Program statutes do not specifically address the use of oxygen; Stanford said banned substances include Monsel's solution, silver nitrate, ammonium capsules and smelling salts).

"It's my understanding that the physician did consult with the ringside physician, and it was approved by the physician," Stanford said. "It was within (the rules)."

Lawal lost his Strikeforce light heavyweight title when Cavalcante stopped him by third-round TKO.

Noons' strike unpreventable, lull in action prompted Lashley stand-up

Noons' emphatic win over Gurgel did not escape controversy, either.

The former pro boxer appeared to be on cruise control to victory after he dropped Gurgel at the end of the first round and followed with a two-punch combination that put Gurgel on his back early in the second round. The referee closed distance as if to stop the bout, but Gurgel pitched forward and dove towards Noons' feet for a takedown.

Noons began to defend the takedown and looked incredulously at the referee, who got between the fighters just as he threw what looked to be an illegal knee to the downed Gurgel.

Strikeforce commentator Mauro Ranallo was the first to cry foul during the telecast.

But the commission hinted that the timing of the strike invalidated questions of whether it was legal or not.

"[TDLR] representative Greg Alvarez said the strike was already started when the (final) bell rang," Stanford said. "That's the position of TDLR. No action will be taken against the referee."

Many fans were also upset when referee John Shorley stood former "pro wrestler" Bobby Lashley up during his fight with Chad Griggs.

Lashley, a former collegiate wrestling standout, took Griggs to the mat in the second round after a taxing first frame in which he sustained a cut under his left eye. He had mounted his foe and appeared to be working ground-and-pound before Shorley stood the fighters up.

Lashley's cut was checked by the cageside doctor, and he was allowed to stay in the fight. But he expired quickly afterward when he and Griggs were restarted on their feet, and the doctor stopped the fight between the second and third rounds.

While Lashley was cut near the end of the first round, Stanford contends that Shorley saw the cut when he stood the fighters up due to what he felt was a lack of action.

"The referee felt there was a lull in action, and he had gotten them to their feet when he saw the cut," Stanford said. "[The referee] had the doctor look at it, and then started the action again on their feet."

The Combative Sports Program's statutes state that a referee is allowed to restart fighters on their feet after a lull in action.

Stanford said parties who disagree with the referee's conduct can file a complaint with the TDLR.

if it was givin the ok maybe they informed all fighters that night. i honestly dont think we will see all fighters from here on in using it.

Can't see what the fuss is about.