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Mousasi can't believe 'stupidity' of Dillashaw using PEDs, set to defend belt

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Gegard Mousasi isn't one to hold back on fighters testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs and former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is no exception.

"The stupidity of fighters knowing they’re going to get tested and they still (take PEDs), it shows how desperate they are," Mousasi told theScore.

Dillashaw is currently in the midst of a two-year suspension after testing positive for EPO. The Bellator middleweight champion believes Dillashaw's actions weren't just a one-time thing.

"It’s usually a sign that people have been abusing it before, that they don’t feel they can do it without it. And TJ Dillashaw, for a long time, it was suspicious that he did steroids. And after USADA came, he still did it. They didn’t catch him the first two times, but eventually, they caught him."

Mousasi (45-6-2) is set to defend his 185-pound championship this Saturday against Rafael Lovato Jr. at Bellator 223. The pair were slated to battle at Bellator 214 in January before a back injury pulled "The Dreamcatcher" off the card.

"I woke up with pain in my ass, then it slowly went to the calf," Mousasi said. "I don’t know, it was just a nerve block. But it’s gone now, it’s not a hernia, thank God. I was training but it would get worse, then it would get better. I got cortisol shots two times. It didn’t help. It just needed time. Nothing (I could) do about it."

Lovato Jr. (9-0) has finished eight of his nine career opponents. The 35-year-old is coming off a unanimous decision victory over UFC veteran John Salter at Bellator 205 in September. Despite having a clear edge in MMA experience, Mousasi isn't taking his opponent lightly.

"100 percent we’re going to keep it standing." Mousasi explained. "I can handle myself on the ground, he’s not going to submit me in one minute as long as I don’t do anything stupid. He has to do that multiple times. But we’ve prepared very well for him.

"There are certain things I can do well, that I can’t do against him. Let’s say ground-and-pound, I usually overpower (my opponents), let’s say with Rory (MacDonald). Those things maybe not going to work with him. Maybe that thing is going to be more difficult against this guy. So it’s going to be a different game plan. We go for the finish, not look for it, but it will come. It’s a little bit different approach to him."

Should he emerge victorious on Saturday, many believe Mousasi's next title defense could be a rematch against Lyoto Machida. However, the former Strikeforce champion says the promotion has other plans.

"Before this fight, (Bellator) wanted to make the Ryan Bader fight. So maybe they’ll go back to that. I could fight at 205 pounds, but I’m much better at middleweight. If I fight Bader, it’s for the title, it’s like better for me because I achieve something."

Mousasi has warmed up to that idea, but the price would need to be right.

"If they don’t pay me more, it doesn’t look like they want to pay me more, why should I fight the bigger guy who is actually even fighting at heavyweight? Why should I go fight that guy, to win another belt? The belt, I can make it myself. I could make a double belt and put it on my wall. Why do I need a new belt if they don’t want to pay me more?"

Bellator 223 takes place at SSE Arena in London, England on Saturday.

Watch the full interview with Mousasi below and subscribe to theScoreMMA Youtube channel here.

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