Ever since a pair of Anderson Silva drug test came back positive for performance enhancing drugs, "The Spider" has kind of disappeared from public view.
But we got our first glimpse of the former UFC middleweight champion today as he maintains his innocence in an interview with TMZ.
Silva (34-6) tested positive for anabolic steroids Drostanolone and Androstane in an out-of-competition drug test on January 9 before also testing positive for Drostanolone, as well as sleeping medication Oxazepam and anti-anxiety medication Temazepam in a
post-fight drug test on January 31.
But he is claiming that he was "surprised" by those results.
He said: "When my manager called me and said ‘Anderson, we have a problem because you go to the test for the commission is bad’. I said, ‘What, I don’t know what happened’."
While it's difficult to understand the Brazilian too much due to the language barrier, it's definitely clear that he is insisting that he in no way took performance enhancing drugs intentionally.
Rather he claims that it must have something to do with the supplements he was taking as he attempted to recover from a horrific leg-break which he sustained in late 2013.
"I think this is bad for the sport, it’s so bad for me and my life," he adds. "And that does nothing to change my performance in the fight."
An upcoming hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission will most likely result in a lengthy suspension for Silva and his victory over Nick Diaz switched to a No Contest but the former pound-for-pound #1 claims he is willing to offer a rematch to Diaz.
"I respect the commission now," he said. "When all this is done, I go fight Nick the next one."
