These martial artists have touted cannabis for excellence

12 boxers, wrestlers, and MMA fighters who trust CBD and THC-infused products for their training, recovery, and business ventures.

Fight fans enjoy every punch, kick and takedown from their seats. But have you ever wondered how these fighters train for and recover from such brutal physical punishment?

Painkillers have dominated high-contact sports like mixed martial arts (MMA), wrestling, and soccer for years. But a handful of modern day gladiators are now going all in on weed as an alternative to prescription drugs.

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For example, many fighters use CBD, a cannabinoid found in weed that doesn’t cause any noticeable psychoactive effects. That’s because CBD is legal in many places, while THC-infused cannabis is not.

Boxer holds glove standing smoke.who wants the smoke These cannabis-loving warriors do. (Fotokitas/AdobeStock)

So which professional fighters are pioneers, entrepreneurs and proud users? Here are 12 of the most notable cannabis advocates from the martial arts world.

Buster Douglas

Boxer Buster Douglas celebrates.In this February 11, 1990 file photo, heavyweight boxer James “Buster” Douglas waves to the cheering crowd after a 10th-round KO win over Mike Tyson at the Tokyo Dome. In one of the most spectacular upsets in sports history, Douglas defeated Tyson, the reigning world heavyweight champion. (Sadayuki Mikami / AP)

Buster Douglas made history in 1990 when he defeated heavyweight champion Mike Tyson despite long odds.

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After 18 years as a professional fighter, Douglas continues to struggle with ongoing pain and discomfort. Now the 61-year-old champion has admitted to using CBD and endorses products for the Ohio-based CBD Health Coalition. Through the partnership, Douglas has a signature line of premium CBD products.

Nate and Nick Diaz

Nate Diaz steams during the post-fight press conference at UFC 202 in 2016. (UFC/YouTube)

This week, MMA legend Nate Diaz said he plans to retire from a legendary career as a professional fighter. In 2016, Diaz drank a CBD vape at a post-fight press conference and declared, “CBD – it helps with healing and inflammation.” In 2019, he did it again.

Nate’s brother Nick almost lost his career in 2015 due to a failed THC test. For years before that, he relied on the old “drink ten pounds of water and sweat it out” method to pass tests.

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Now, the Diaz brothers’ cannabis brand, Game Up, offers oils and tinctures, as well as pre-rolls. With the UFC’s recent increase in the THC limit, Nate felt comfortable beating his THC-infused Kill_4209 strain at a pre-fight weigh-in in 2021. He did it again earlier this year in front of a US Doping Agency tester.

Elias Theodorou

Elias Theodorou points to the press during a pre-fight weigh-in. (MMA Junkie)

This week Theodorou died of cancer at the age of 34. The Canadian-born trailblazer won the UFC reality TV series Ultimate Fighter in 2014 and made history as the first fighter to receive a medicinal cannabis use exemption (TUE) from the United States Anti-Disease Agency-Doping Agency. In 2021, he won his first TUE fight, eventually averaging a 19-3 record in the ring before dying prematurely.

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Evan Holyfield

Boxer great Evander Holyfield’s son gives Leafly his new partnership with Georgia Hemp Co. and more in a snap. (Courtesy of the Athelo Group)

The son of heavyweight boxing legend Evander Holyfield, he’s building a reputation in the ring and beyond. Not only has he beat opponents, he has also joined the long list of fighters who proudly use CBD products as part of their pre and post fight routines.

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Evan also has a sponsorship deal with The Georgia Hemp Company and currently has nine wins and one loss as a pro.

Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua punches an opponent in the face during a game in 2020.  (Andrew Couldridge/Associated Press)Anthony Joshua punches an opponent in the face during a game in 2020. (Andrew Couldridge/Associated Press)

The British boxer is a two-time world champion and firmly believes in the power of CBD. Joshua is a shareholder in UK-based company Love Hemp. Love Hemp is a sponsor of the UFC, and Joshua serves as the voice for the brand and the face of its own signature CBD line.

Rico flair

Ric Flair, right, reacts as Shawn Michaels grabs him during the Career Threatening Match at WrestleMania XXIV at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., whose Ric Flair, right, reacts as Shawn Michaels grabs him during the Career Threatening match at WrestleMania XXIV at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. 2008. Flair, whose “Wooooooo!” call during promos and games became one of the most mimicked catchphrases in sports, once thought he was dying of substance abuse. Alive and feeling a new lease of life, Flair told The Associated Press in 2008 that he was done drinking and vowing to clean up his act with the time left to him. (Jacob Langston/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

The Ric Flair Drip cannabis line was launched in August with help from Verano and Mike Tyson’s Tyson 2.0 company. The line includes flowers, oils and more and will be available through Verano. In April, Flair tweeted, “So excited to enter the world of cannabis! Wooooo!”

“Later in life I discovered the benefits of cannabis and was blown away by how much it helped uplift the mind and heal the body. Alongside TYSON 2.0, I am committed to sharing these amazing benefits with as many consumers as possible.”

Ric Flair via press release

Shannon Briggs

Shannon Briggs brags at a pre-fight press conference. (Martin Meissner/Associated Press)

From the late 1990s through the mid-2000s, Shannon Briggs was a household name among boxing fans and one of the hardest punchers in the sport. The Brooklyn-born fighter is a two-time world heavyweight champion and is still in fighting form decades after his peak. While training for his comeback to professional fighting in 2014, Briggs was open to using CBD to fuel his return. He also released his own strain, Cali Plug, in 2020.

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Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman celebrates his victory on the octagon fence after a UFC 261 mixed martial arts fight against Jorge Masvidal early Sunday, April 25, 2021 in Jacksonville, Fla. (Gary McCullough, The Associated Press)Kamaru Usman celebrates his victory on the octagon fence after a UFC 261 mixed martial arts fight against Jorge Masvidal early Sunday, April 25, 2021 in Jacksonville, Fla. (Gary McCullough, The Associated Press)

The Nigerian-born mixed martial artist is the current UFC welterweight champion and arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in his sport. He is also a vocal supporter of CBD and a brand ambassador for Anthony Joshua’s Love Hemp brand.

Chris Algiers

Manny Pacquiao punches Chris Algieri.  For the ninth straight year, Pacquiao failed to score a knockout.  (Kin Cheung/Associated Press)Chris Algieri takes a hit from Manny Pacquiao in 2014. (Kin Cheung / Associated Press)

When former WBO Champion Chris Algieri was asked by FOX Business host Stuart Varney in 2019 if he would use CBD, Algieri replied, “I would, and I have.” While not a proponent of THC, Algieri believes it that CBD helps athletes perform better by healing inflammation.

mike tyson

Mike Tyson at the Los Angeles Premiere of Summit Entertainment’s “Draft Day” on Monday April 7, 2014 in Westwood, CA. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Summit Entertainment/AP Images)

Iron Mike has several cannabis ventures including the Tyson Holistic line, the Tyson 2.0 brand, a 420-friendly ranch resort, and a weed-themed podcast.

Some of his products are banned in Colorado and parts of Canada because of his celebrity likeness. But CHILL, a company that makes alkaline CBD water, is one of the more cautious investments in its multi-layered cannabis empire.

Tyson believes CBD can help fight opiate addiction, telling The Daily Star: “I’ve been struggling for over 20 years and my body is taking a toll… I’ve had two surgeries and I’ve used marijuana to calm my nerves. and it would take the pain away… But before that, they put me on these opiates, and these opiates totally screwed me up.”

Tyson also says cannabis and magic mushrooms brought him closer to God after a traumatic childhood and a deeply troubled life in the spotlight.

Arnold Barbosa

(Mikey Williams / Top Spot)

Undefeated super lightweight Arnold Barboza Jr. has knocked out many opponents. But when it comes to eliminating pain, he turns to Brains Pure CBD, a British brand. Barboza claims, “CBD is the future of recovery.”

mike lee

(top rank)

Former boxer Mike Lee was fed up with all the drugs he was prescribed for an autoimmune disease. After researching alternative medicines, he found CBD.

Lee now shares his love of CBD with others through Soul CBD, a company he co-founded with his wife, Angie. Offering everything from oils to bath bombs, Soul CBD offers therapeutic benefits for clients from all walks of life.

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soft king

Mehka King has spent his professional career as a journalist and content creator. Since 2017 he has interviewed cannabis activists, politicians, business leaders, athletes and entertainers about their views on cannabis for the network CashColorCannabis.com.

Check out Mehka King’s articles

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