After UFC 175 removal, Wanderlei Silva issues video statement

Wanderlei Silva said the reason for his removal from July’s UFC 175 card was due to “a big confusion,” notably a language barrier.

As MMAjunkie reported earlier this week, Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC) was pulled from the July 5 pay-per-view fight with Chael Sonnen (28-14-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and replaced by Vitor Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC), pending Belfort getting licensed.

The UFC announced the change was due to “issues related to Wanderlei Silva’s licensing in the state of Nevada.”

The issue may have been Silva’s refusal to take a random drug test required by the NSAC, which oversees the July 5 event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Although he didn’t specify it was a test collector, Silva said an unidentified man showed up at his gym.

“He did not show my any identification,” Silva said, according to a translation included with his video. “So I told him that I can’t read English very well and I would need my lawyer present to be able to sign any documents. Then I had to leave since it was the day of (Renan) Barao’s (UFC 173) fight, and I was really busy here in Vegas.”

However, in addition to the apparent drug test issue, NSAC Chairman Francisco Aguilar also confirmed Silva never actually applied for a fight license. Silva went on to suggest his integrity shouldn’t be questioned and that he intended to apply for one.

“In 20 years of career and 50 professional fights, I never refused to test or failed to apply for a license to fight,” he said. “My fight [would have been] in Las Vegas on July 5, so were more than one month from the fight. And my plans were to do all of my (licensing) obligations once I get back from Brazil since I’m going to Brazil for the [TUF Brazil 3 Finale this weekend].”

Silva said he still wants the fight with Sonnen, whom he coached against on “TUF: Brazil 3,” and will undergo any blood and urine testing the NSAC requires “like I always have done.”

“This is the fight I wanted the most in my entire life,” said a tear-eyed Silva, who has a well-documented rivalry with Sonnen. “And I will do everything I can to make this fight happen.

“All this will get resolved, and I will be there on July 5 to put on a great show for all of you my friends.”

However, earlier today in Berlin, White told MMAjunkie that Silva won’t be put back on the card.

For more on UFC 175, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.