Chael Sonnen discloses which Dana White statement made him think about PEDs differently

Chael Sonnen recalled the moment Dana White changed his perception on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in combat sports.

Sonnen has failed drug tests in the past and has openly confessed to his crimes. After his loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117 in 2010, it was determined that Sonnen's testosterone levels were unusually high due to steroid use.

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Once a believer that athletes should try to gain an advantage by hook or by crook, Sonnen has taken a complete 180-degree turn when it comes to his stance on performance enhancers.

'The American Gangster' revealed that it wasn't the threat of suspension or losing his license that changed his views, though. He admitted that it was the UFC president's statements that convinced him to rethink his philosophy. During an episode of his Bad Guy Inc. show on YouTube, Sonnen opened up by saying:

"The day they announced they were bringing in USADA [United States Anti-Doping Agency]... Somebody asked a question that had to do with baseball. Somehow baseball got brought up, use and steroids within baseball, and Dana said, 'Well, it's a guy hitting a ball with a stick. This is combat, where somebody can hurt or kill somebody by doing something secretly that's against the rules.' Boom! Changed me. Right there, that was the moment. I had to look at the man in the mirror. Woah, I got this all wrong"

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:

Chael Sonnen's previous take on PEDs in MMA

Before his come-to-Jesus moment, Chael Sonnen defended his actions following his failed drug test in 2010. Penning an essay about the issue on Medium.com, Sonnen stated:

"Truth is, I have absolutely no regrets over taking testosterone. When used in a responsible fashion, the drug can work wonders. I experienced transformative effects to my overall attitude, my energy level, my appearance [skin and hair], and, obviously, my confidence. None of this is meant to suggest that everyone can or should take testosterone – when abused, it can have devastating effects – but for me, the benefits far outweighed the risks, especially because of that certain built-in check that fighters must be mindful of: the weigh-in. You see, 'abusing' testosterone [or any other PEDs I took] never made much sense for me. I would not have made weight had I done so."

The three-time UFC title challenger made it clear that he knew his actions were wrong. Then again, he insisted he wasn't sorry for taking them.