Sherk's suspension reduced...

MATT E · 12-05-2007

Following his July 7 Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title defense against Hermes Franca, Sean Sherk was suspended for one year and fined $2,500 for testing positive for Nandrolone, according to the California State Athletic Commission.

On Tuesday, he again went before the Commission. When all was said and done, Sherk’s suspension was reduced to six months, while his fine was upheld at $2,500, MMAWeekly.com’s Tom Hamlin reported.

An initial motion to uphold the one-year suspension failed. The second motion, to reduce Sherk’s suspension, initially failed in a 3-3 deadlock, but upon further discussion, it was re-introduced and subsequently passed by a margin of 4-2.

“You don’t know what you’re going to get until you get there,” said Sherk in the days leading up to the hearing. “I’m optimistic because we do have a lot of facts supporting my innocence.”

But he was also leery of the process, saying, “They don’t really have rules and regulations that they have to follow. All I want is a fair trial. I just want an opportunity to present facts that we have, supporting my innocence that I did not take Nandrolone.”

Apparently, Sherk believes that he wasn’t given the fair trial that he wanted. Following the hearing, he stated, “I’m not happy at all with (a six-month suspension and fine). This is not over,” indicating that he would be discussing possible legal action with his attorneys.

As it stands, Sherk will be eligible to return to action in early January.

I don't really know what to think about this, he clearly continues to deny and deny taking any type of human growth Hormones. In some ways i want to beleive him, but when it comes down to it you can't, i don't know him personally and looking at his physique its hard to argue for him.

This makes the interim title fight interesting, BJ made it clear that he wont fight him if he is found guilty, in which in this situation he is. Just because his sentence was reduced doesn't mean he is still not guilty as charged.

So where does that leave this? Assuming BJ beats Stevenson where does the LW title picture go from their? IMO i don't blame BJ one bit for not wanting this fight, not accusing Sherk of anything, but I wouldn't want to fight someone who in my mind thought was cheating.

MuayThai4Life · 12-05-2007

I actually think Sherk is innocent. He had a really good defence lined up for his hearing and he got completely blind sided by the fact that he didn't get to use a trial to explain the things that he found out. All he got was to have his lawyer (not a doctor) explain the case for him and he got to make a statement to the commission. couple that with a reduction only in sentence, why was his sentence reduced? if he took steriods then he took them and should be suspended for a year. If he did not take them then he's innocent. I think it's the commissions way of just trying to get rid of Sherk since they've been messing up his case since the beginning.

MATT E · 12-05-2007

I agree MT4L, these days some comissions are just plain fuckin idiots. I think they have very little knowledge of what they are talking about. They just get a paper with a list of facts and try to dispute them to the best of their knowledge with their small brains.

Things like Tony Alamo, saying that Nick Diaz was stoned during his fight against Gomi....quote"there for he was unable to feel pain", so his fight was called a No Contest. I mean this guy cleary has never smoked weed or has any idea what it does to your body. Some of these guys in the Athletic Comissions are just plain fucking dumb.

MuayThai4Life · 12-06-2007

Dude Nick Diaz should have been awarded a medal for fighting high. All i ever wanted to do was eat some fungins and drink the biggest cherry coke from del taco.. Nick Diaz is beating top ranked fighters... But yeah they don't know their ass from their heads.

Robert_Lake · 12-08-2007

What the hell??? Sean Sherk tested postive for, i believe it was, 2 different banned substances. The level of steroids in his system was ridiculously high, higher than any other fighter to test positive.

I had to do a drug test for steroids when i played Junior football and it sucked dude. They take like 5 to 7 guys off the field from a practice or after a game. It was during a practice when i had to do it. 1 at a time you walk into the bathroom. It is in a handicapped style bathroom, a bathroom with plenty of space and only 1 toilet with hand rails mounted on the walls on either side.

In the bathroom with you is a man who tells you to remove your shirt and drop your shorts to your knees. This is to make sure you arent using one of those fake piss filled dongs. Then you piss into a cup while he watches, they need a witness after all. The container is then taken, infront of your very eyes, and sealed while a jar type lid. THe lid is then secured on evenmomre with a white tape label, which has your personal info on it. From there your piss in the container is put into a syrofoam cast which the piss container originally came out of and then put into a plastic shell case with a lock. THis is also labeled with your info. All this is done infront of your very eyes, then you sign saying you watched and it was done properly.

Sean Sherk is a liar, as well as a cheater. 6 months suspension and $2500 fine is crap. Sherk should be stripped of his title, be banned from fighting for a year and fined at least $25,000.

He makes the sport look bad, and makes it look even worse by lying about it. At least Tim Sylvia was man enough to admit he made a mistake when he tested positive.

I have a hard time believing Sherk wasn't taking steroids if the test said he was. Those test are extremly accurate.

way26 · 12-08-2007

Well, according to some sources, Sherk has indeed been stripped of his title.

From MMAFightLine.com:

Quote:

Popular MMA insider/journalist Cindy Ortiz made a claim on the underground forum late last night that completely refutes the claims made yesterday by Steve Sievert of Brawl Sports regarding Sean Sherk's title status. Check out her post below:
I just asked [Dana White]. He said the UFC did strip Sean of the title. He didn't feel the need to make an announcement about it.

The source of the "news" that he wasn't stripped is B.S.

Cindy

Ortiz also went on to say that MMAWeekly.com will be posting a story soon to further clarify the situation. Stay tuned.

Here is another source: The Fight Network :: ALL FIGHTS ALL THE TIME :: Get it on!

MuayThai4Life · 12-09-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert_Lake

What the hell??? Sean Sherk tested postive for, i believe it was, 2 different banned substances. The level of steroids in his system was ridiculously high, higher than any other fighter to test positive.

I had to do a drug test for steroids when i played Junior football and it sucked dude. They take like 5 to 7 guys off the field from a practice or after a game. It was during a practice when i had to do it. 1 at a time you walk into the bathroom. It is in a handicapped style bathroom, a bathroom with plenty of space and only 1 toilet with hand rails mounted on the walls on either side.

In the bathroom with you is a man who tells you to remove your shirt and drop your shorts to your knees. This is to make sure you arent using one of those fake piss filled dongs. Then you piss into a cup while he watches, they need a witness after all. The container is then taken, infront of your very eyes, and sealed while a jar type lid. THe lid is then secured on evenmomre with a white tape label, which has your personal info on it. From there your piss in the container is put into a syrofoam cast which the piss container originally came out of and then put into a plastic shell case with a lock. THis is also labeled with your info. All this is done infront of your very eyes, then you sign saying you watched and it was done properly.

Sean Sherk is a liar, as well as a cheater. 6 months suspension and $2500 fine is crap. Sherk should be stripped of his title, be banned from fighting for a year and fined at least $25,000.

He makes the sport look bad, and makes it look even worse by lying about it. At least Tim Sylvia was man enough to admit he made a mistake when he tested positive.

I have a hard time believing Sherk wasn't taking steroids if the test said he was. Those test are extremly accurate.

Dude I'm not sure where you got your sources on Sherk from, but the whole controversy was that he didn't test high, at all, for ths steriod that was found in his system. And that he was under the same steriod that Royce Gracie and Phil Baroni took and their numbers were a LOT higher than his. Also Sherk had a very good case as to why he tested positive, and he only had 1 drug in his system and it was Nandrolone.

On top of that he found traces of these drugs in his suppliments that he is no longer taking. He had every one of his suppliments tested. He also passed a lie detector test (which everyone does say he can cheat but if he would have failed due to nervousness EVERYONE would have used that as evidence against him)

I dunno man I just think the way the commision handled it was wrong and he didn't get a strong enough ability to plead his case. Sherk could have very well taken steriods willingly and lied to us all, he also could be innocent and have really good evidince as to why he's not guilty, but the commission just reduced his sentence and called it good to basically get rid of him. I think they way he was handled was crap.

MATT E · 12-09-2007

Yeah i agree MT4L, normally i don't give fighters the benefit of the dought but in the case i really beleive Sherk is innocent. He said he took supliments, that when mixed together form something that comes up positive on drug tests. I really think the guy is just a honest, dedicated, and hard working fighter that just got caught up in a mess.

But at the end of the day, he still tested positive. I mean theirs not much you can do with that. I mean its like saying, if I shot some one but it was accident. Who cares, the evidence is their, i might finds way to show my innoncence but at the end of the day what happened happened.

MATT E · 12-09-2007

According to sources close to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the promotion has stripped lightweight champion Sean Sherk of his title following the upholding of his suspension by the California State Athletic Commission for testing positive for the steroid Nandrolone.

The CSAC, earlier this week, did decrease Sherk’s suspension from 12 to 6 months. He will be eligible to come off of suspension in early January due to his suspension being retroactive to the night of his July 7 bout against Hermes Franca.

A proposed interim lightweight title bout between B.J. Penn and Joe Stevenson on Jan. 19 will now reportedly be declared a full title bout and drop the interim designation.

So i guess this means that its stevenson vs Penn for the Vacant LW title. I really do feel bad for Sherk, but i guess this is just in the past now. Theres not much he can do except take it for what it is now, and come back better and stronger then ever. When his suspension is over he will probably be the # 1 contender. And face who ever it may be that holds the belt.

way26 · 12-11-2007

MMAFightLine.com:

Quote:

Dana White: "Sherk will fight the winner for the title"

BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson will be fighting on January 19 for the lightweight title; and according to Dana White, the winner of that fight will immediately face Sean Sherk.

“I have nothing but respect for Sean Sherk and I believe he’s been honest throughout this whole process,” said UFC President Dana White. “But BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson will be fighting for the lightweight title at UFC 80 on January 19th and Sean Sherk will fight the winner for the title.”

A possible wrinkle could develop if BJ Penn wins his match-up versus Joe Stevenson, as Penn has stated publicly that he would not fight Sherk if his suspension for using steroids was upheld. Sean Sherk learned last week that his suspension, though reduced, will be upheld. It remains to be seen if Penn will follow through on his statement to avoid Sherk, but if his past is any indication, it wouldn't be a surprise if he opted not to face the former champion.