LeBron James takes EPO: UFC vet Chael Sonnen doubles down on his wild take about the NBA legend

Chael Sonnen doubled down on his stance that he believes NBA legend LeBron James is taking performance-enhancing drugs.

James recently announced that he would be pulling on his jersey for a stunning 21st NBA season during his appearance at the ESPYs this week. The 38-year-old was at the event collecting the Best Record-Breaking Performance award after he became the NBA's all-time top scorer, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The longevity of LeBron James is often lauded by fans and the media, but UFC legend Chael Sonnen doesn't believe it's just a case of being a great athlete. According to 'The American Gangster', James, like most athletes in the NBA, is likely taking erythropoietin (EPO). Sonnen tweeted:

"Ehh, no. He takes EPO, that’s true. Is it cheating though? It’s a legal medicine, does he procure it legally? Even then it can still be a violation of his sport, but does anyone amongst us know what the rules of that sport are or even where to find And read about them?"

EPO helps to increase red blood cell mass. This allows the body to transport more oxygen to the muscles, giving those who take the drug a competitive edge. EPO has been banned in the NBA for a numbers of years and was the same drug used infamously by TJ Dillashaw in the UFC, resulting in his two-year suspension.

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Chael Sonnen claims Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic "don't want to fight each other"

Chael Sonnen appeared on The MMA Hour this week and weighed in on Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic's announced bout for UFC 295.

The bout will mark Jones' first title defense as the heavyweight champion against the returning Miocic, who 'Bones' has been demanding a fight with for a number of years.

However, Sonnen isn't all that fussed about the fight. According to 'The American Gangster', the clash will be a hard sell to fans because there is no fire in their rivalry:

"When two guys don't wanna fight, man, I don't wanna see it. And Jon Jones and Stipe clearly don't wanna fight. Which one it is, I don't know. They clearly don't wanna fight each other. So, that's very hard to get an interest in... I don't know how we're gonna light a fire under that, you got two guys that don't wanna fight."

Catch Chael Sonnen's comments here: