MMA  > General MMA  > Sonnen failed drug test at UFC 117 - may be suspended for a year!!!!!
September 19, 2010, 08:53 AM
CSAC: Sonnen Positive for PEDs at UFC 117

According to California State Athletic Commission Executive Officer George Dodd, Chael Sonnen has been notified that he failed post-fight drug screening following his loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117, which was held Aug. 7 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

???[Sonnen] received his notice yesterday,??? Dodd told Sherdog.com shortly after the Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora boxing match ended Saturday night in Los Angeles.

In a conversation the day before, Dodd declined to comment on the situation, other than answering that all fighters from UFC 117 had passed drugs-of-abuse scans, but that the commission was still waiting on performance-enhancing drug screens from the event.

Dodd did not state which banned substance was red-flagged, but with a clean drugs-of-abuse scan it is clear the positive test was for a performance-enhancing substance.

The last major UFC banned-substance case in the state centered on UFC 73???s lightweight title match, which saw both competitors -- Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca -- test positive for PEDs. Both fighters were suspended for one year and fined, though Sherk appealed and had his suspension shortened to six months.

Sonnen is staring at a long layoff if he elects not to appeal or is denied. He was scheduled to rematch Silva Feb. 6 in Las Vegas, but that fight may be delayed or scrapped in light of these allegations.

Text messages to Sonnen went unreturned.

His manager Matt Lindland told Sherdog.com that he was cornering a fighter on the East Coast and had no knowledge of the positive test results.

Silva???s manager Ed Soares, who engaged in some heated exchanges via the media in the build up to the fight, was stunned when asked for his reaction.

???If it???s true, I feel really bad for him,??? said Soares. ???I know he did it to himself but it is really sad, he put on such a great performance that night. It is just a shame it will be tarnished.???
September 19, 2010  08:53 AM ET

Wow, wasn't expecting this. What a bombshell.

September 19, 2010  10:35 AM ET

Ed Soares said exactly what passed through my mind...

September 19, 2010  10:57 AM ET

Even to break the rules you have to be intelligent!

September 19, 2010  11:15 AM ET

SOOO really it wasn't a good match. Sonnen had to cheat and still lost. Loser. Maybe he needed one more little shot to boost his strength .

September 19, 2010  11:18 AM ET

the quesiton is: what now? They took Vitor away in order to make this rematch. Now Vitor is already lined up to take on Yushin, so who would replace Sonnen?

I hope not Nate. He should (at least) have a rematch against toquinho and I would think one more fight after that...

September 19, 2010  11:19 AM ET
QUOTE(#4):

SOOO really it wasn't a good match. Sonnen had to cheat and still lost. Loser. Maybe he needed one more little shot to boost his strength .

hehehe ther's no shot that helps against submissions! :)

September 19, 2010  05:07 PM ET
QUOTE(#6):

hehehe ther's no shot that helps against submissions! :)

Haha I guess your right!

September 19, 2010  07:28 PM ET

Shocker. I'm a Silva fan, so I hated Sonnen. I find it comical now. He talked the big game all because he knew he was on steroids

September 19, 2010  09:21 PM ET

I'd love to see Sonnen turn all that smug, wannabe stand-up comedian schtick inward after this.

"Yeah, yeah, then there's me...the schmuck that cheated and still went to sleep..."

My guess is he'll pull a Barnett and claim the test was tainted, and that someone was obviously out to get him. Who wants to bet he blames the Democrats?

September 19, 2010  10:14 PM ET

I'm hope Sonnen blames the UFC and leaves. That would be awesome.

September 19, 2010  11:10 PM ET

Looks like either they are gonna have to give Silva someone that doesn't deserve a title shot or have him move up and wait and fight a LHW... tough break for the UFC

September 19, 2010  11:12 PM ET

move up in weight and fight*... I should really stop typing how I think

Comment #13 has been removed
September 20, 2010  05:31 AM ET
QUOTE(#9):

My guess is he'll pull a Barnett and claim the test was tainted, and that someone was obviously out to get him. Who wants to bet he blames the Democrats?

Barack himself might have been involved?

September 20, 2010  08:18 AM ET

I'm interested to see what exactly he tested positive for. I believe the CSAC is required to release it publicly.

A lot of people have come up positive and still had good careers, so this isn't the end for him. Remember, Vitor tested positive (and in Pride!).

This is just sad news to hear.

September 20, 2010  10:00 AM ET
QUOTE(#16):

A lot of people have come up positive and still had good careers, so this isn't the end for him. Remember, Vitor tested positive (and in Pride!). This is just sad news to hear.

Nick Diaz too. Although it was marijuana :D

September 20, 2010  10:09 AM ET

all cheaters eventually get caught

September 20, 2010  10:56 AM ET

What would the UFC of done if he would of held on and beat Silva? Would they of given Silva the title back or had some sort of tourney or what?

September 20, 2010  11:04 AM ET
QUOTE(#19):

What would the UFC of done if he would of held on and beat Silva? Would they of given Silva the title back or had some sort of tourney or what?

Anderson would have fought someone else for the vacant title, I assume.

 
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