There have been very few MMA fighters who have had the aura of intimidation surrounding them like Wanderlei Silva. The Brazilian holds the record for most wins, knockouts, and longest winning streak in the history of ‘PRIDE FC’ and his nickname, ‘The Axe Murderer’ is probably the most apt description of his fighting style. And in a recent conversation with Joe Rogan, former UFC and PRIDE star, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson revealed, just what made Silva one of the most terrifying men to ever lace up a pair of MMA gloves!

Jackson alleged that while there were other names in the Japanese organization who took performance-enhancing substances to give them an edge over the competition, none of them were as “vicious” as ‘The Axe Murderer’.

Joe Rogan and ‘Rampage’ talk about what led to Wanderlei Silva’s terrifying fighting style

During his appearance on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience)  MMA Show no. 159, ‘Rampage’ expressed his opposition to steroid use, citing his personal experiences as he revealed, “You know, I’m against it coz I fought a few guys that was on steroids when I was fighting in PRIDE.” Rogan, curious about Jackson’s experiences, asked which opponents he thought were the most obvious users of performance-enhancing drugs. Jackson immediately mentioned Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, and Wanderlei Silva.

The former PRIDE FC star clarified his stance by stating, “For me, the most obvious was Kevin Randleman, RIP. I don’t ever want to talk ill of big bro. Mark Coleman, he’s honest about it, they were doing something, and Wanderlei for sure was on that sh*t.”

The podcast host then indicated his agreement with Jackson’s revelation by noting Silva’s aggressive and all-out fighting style by stating, “He fought like he was on it, he fought like he had rabies.” Jackson further revealed, “Bro, that guy was so vicious he just walked around mad the whole time you know.”

However, ‘Rampage’ further claimed that the friction between him and Silva arose because Jackson was never afraid of Silva while the other Japanese fighters were terrified of ‘The Axe Murderer’! Jackson’s comments highlighted the challenges fighters faced during the PRIDE era, where PED use was a common, albeit controversial, part of the sport and was also included as an exemption in the fighter’s contract!

PRIDE FC legend reveals shocking contract terms for PED usage

PRIDE FC has often been referred to as the ‘wild West’ of the early days of MMA by the fans. There were a lot of bizarre matchups between fighters with vastly different weights and heights but there was also a lot of talk about rampant PED usage.

Many athletes who have competed in the organization in the past have come out and admitted to the use of performance-enhancing substances. But Enson Inoue, a legend of the early days of MMA, shared his old PRIDE FC contract online to highlight the fact that it contained a clause that stated, “Performance enhancing stimulants of steroid based family are specifically excluded from the scope of the test.”

As the sport has evolved, so have its regulations, aiming for a level playing field with the implementation of high-level testing programs for the athletes. PRIDE’s approach, however, remains a unique chapter in MMA history, reflecting a time when the sport’s wild nature mirrored its fighters’ amplified performances. What are some of your favorite fighters from the PRIDE era of MMA? Let us know in the comments below!