By JOSH VESHIA
Staff Writer
On Saturday, January 31, Anderson Silva returned to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after a 13-month recovery period to defeat Nick Diaz in a unanimous decision victory. Two days later, it was discovered that Silva tested positive for steroids and Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites. The positive test for Diaz was the third of its kind, and the first positive banned substance result for Silva.
Earlier in the month, on January 3, Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones defeated challenger Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision to defend his title. It was discovered shortly after that Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites and entered himself into a drug treatment facility. Jones and Silva being two of the most well-known and successful fighters in mixed martial arts, this creates quite an interesting start to the year for the UFC.
The anticipation for the return of Anderson “The Spider” Silva was without question. In his nine-year career in the UFC, Silva has accumulated seventeen victories, which is good for third all-time behind Georges St. Pierre (19) and Matt Hughes (18), including sixteen consecutive victories from 2006 to 2012, which is the highest to date. He was also successful eleven times in Middleweight Championship bouts, only losing twice in his two most recent bouts against current Champion Chris Weidman. While accomplishing all of these feats prior to his most recent victory, Silva had never tested positive for banned substances.
During the second loss to Weidman, Silva threw a leg kicked that was checked, a normal series of events in the course of an MMA fight. The result, however, was not as normal. Silva’s leg was bent in an unnatural way and the sight alone was evidence enough that a significant injury was taking place; Silva dropping to the ground in pain was simply confirmation.
When it was released that Silva was to fight again at the beginning of 2015, UFC fans rejoiced knowing that one of the greatest careers of all time was not coming to an end quite yet. However, a matchup with Nick Diaz created some questions.
Diaz is certainly no slouch, nor should any person be considered who trains hours a day for several months preparing to exchange physical damage with another person. But with the career Silva brought to the table – even at his older age (for the sport and compared to most) of 39 – a matchup against a fighter never once holding a title was perceived as a tune-up fight, preparing Silva for yet another run to the top and an eventual rematch against Weidman. The actual result of the fight was quite the opposite.
Following a five-round unanimous decision in favor of Silva that stayed off the ground for essentially the entire fight, Diaz used his public post-fight interview to state his displeasure with the judges’ decision. Diaz said that he felt he had actually won the fight. Although his thoughts may have only been out of confidence in his own abilities, Diaz may not have been so far off from the truth.
The entire fight, from start to finish, was filled with anticipation for the moment Silva would deliver another emphatic knockout and continue on his way back to the throne. However, that never happened.
Instead, for twenty-five minutes, the two men moved around the octagon, occasionally engaging some punches and kicks but never in a significant series. Whether Silva was simply feeling out his way back or Diaz brought his A-game was unclear. What was clear, however, is that Silva was not fighting at the level he once was so successful.
Only making things worse for Silva was the news, a few days after his victory, that he had tested positive for two forms of steroids, drostanolone and androstane. Jones’ positive test for cocaine reflected poor judgment on the part of a prominent figure in the sport. Silva’s positive test could reflect the inevitable end to one of the most storied careers.
Many of the fighters caught taking banned substances like anabolic steroids say afterwards that it was used for recovery. For the most part, several months to over than a year go by between fights. These fights are where money is made. When a fighter doesn’t fight, he doesn’t get paid.
This would not be the case for a former champion like Anderson Silva. But at the age of 39, getting back into the octagon at a quicker rate may have been almost necessary. Whether he used the steroids to gain an advantage or simply get healthier faster, Silva committed an illegal act.
More results will surface soon from other drug tests Silva took shortly after the one that came back positive. The possibilities of suspension and fines exist. But a reputation may be on its way to being shattered, which is would certainly be more damaging.
