Recently Retired Wanderlei Silva Receives $70K Fine, Lifetime Ban in Nevada
Wanderlei Silva was handed a severe penalty by the Nevada
Athletic Commission. | Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight Wanderlei Silva was fined $70,000 and handed a lifetime ban by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday for avoiding a drug test prior to his scheduled UFC 175 bout against Chael Sonnen.
Silva, who was not present at the hearing, requested to have the case dismissed on grounds that the NAC did not have jurisdiction to punish Silva, since he had yet to apply for a license to compete in Nevada. The commission ultimately denied the request.
Advertisement
Silva last week retired from MMA, stating in a self-produced video that the UFC “took away [his] desire to fight.”
After deliberation and acknowledgment by the commissioners that they would like to avoid any similar situation to the one involving Chael Sonnen’s two failed drug tests -- Sonnen retired from the sport following the incidents, but competed at Metamoris a week later -- Silva’s punishment was handed down.
At one point, the commission discussed fining Silva the entire $300,000 purse he would have received from his UFC 175 bout, but instead settled on 35 percent.
Following the hearing, Goodman told reporters that he intends to file an appeal on the decision.
Related Articles