Anderson Silva on failed USADA test: 'I'm stupid' if I took steroids

Did former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva knowingly use steroids?

“Of course not,” he told TMZ on Tuesday.

Silva was flagged by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for a potential anti-doping violation in November. As a result, Silva was pulled from a planned UFC Fight Night 122 headliner against Kelvin Gastelum later that month. It was later reported that Silva tested positive for synthetic testosterone and a diuretic.

Silva has issued vague statements on social media, saying “I will not give up” and assuring fans his team was “working very closely with USADA” to get to the bottom of everything.

In his first on-camera interview, though, Silva Silva (34-8 MMA, 17-4 UFC) was adamant that he’s never knowingly cheated and suggested contaminated supplements as the cause for his latest failure.

“Maybe the supplements I’m using are contaminated,” Silva said. “I don’t know. I’m just waiting. Because obviously if I take these steroids, I’m stupid. Because I’m too old. I’m not at the start of my career. I’m (at the) finish.”

Those remarks are in line with what Silva’s strength and conditioning coach, Rogerio Camoes, said in December.

“I believe and trust his word,” Camoes said. “Anderson is a very mature guy, very experienced. And he’s aware that – he wouldn’t use something and risk getting suspended and getting his image tarnished. So we believe in contamination of some product or supplement. All the products that he used will be analyzed, so we can possibly prove there was contamination.”

Although this latest failed test is his first under the USADA program, “The Spider” is potentially a repeat offender after he failed a drug test around the time of his UFC 183 fight with Nick Diaz in January 2015. Silva was handed a one-year suspension and $380,000 fine from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for his 2015 failure, which he claimed was the result of a tainted sexual enhancer.

Asked if he would retire if handed a four-year suspension this time, Silva, 42, laughed off the notion.

“I love to fight,” Silva said. “This is my heart. This is my life.”

Silva expressed a desire to fight ex-boxing champion Roy Jones Jr., something both men repeatedly pushed for to happen in the squared circle during Silva’s reign as UFC middleweight champ.

“Of course, I go fight for Roy Jones,” Silva said. “I’m waiting for Mr. Roy. … That’s my dream. Hopefully this fight comes.”

Silva held the UFC middleweight title for seven years, from 2006 to 2013. Since losing the belt to Chris Weidman at UFC 162, Silva has fought five more times, going 1-3-1 in that span. He most recently won a controversial unanimous decision over Derek Brunson in February 2017 at UFC 208.

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