UFC boss Dana White responds to Wanderlei Silva's 'smoke screen' retirement video

Las Vegas is a city famous for its sleight of hand, and that old magicians’ trick is what Dana White thinks Wanderlei Silva was doing with his retirement announcement.

The UFC president told UFC.com he believes Silva was trying to draw attention away from what was about to happen at his hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday – where he received a $70,000 fine and indefinite suspension, which for all intents and purposes was a lifetime ban from fighting in Nevada.

Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC) announced his retirement from MMA this past Friday in a video that lashed out at the promotion, taking umbrage with what he said was the way the UFC treats its fighters and with fighter pay.

“I think he was trying to put up a smoke screen,” White told UFC.com. “‘Look over here,’ because he does it a few days before he’s about to go in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The guy ran from a drug test. … I’ve been saying it for a long time that he was going to get something serious.

“I didn’t see a lifetime ban coming, but probably the worst thing you can do is run from a drug test. You can’t run from a drug test.”

Silva’s attorney, Ross Goodman, said after the hearing that Silva is likely to appeal the suspension and fine, the amount of which was 35 percent of the $200,000 he was contracted to make at UFC 175.

In late May, Silva evaded a random drug test before UFC 175 in Las Vegas. That led to the UFC pulling him from a scheduled fight against Chael Sonnen – who would go on to fail two random tests and retire from the sport, as well.

During a hearing in front of the NSAC in June, Silva said he was afraid he would test positive for diuretics he was taking in the wake of a wrist injury suffered in a brawl with Sonnen on the set of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3.” His lawyer said he was taking the diuretics to decrease water retention.

Despite Silva’s harsh comments in the video, words that seemed to be directed at White and company CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, though their names weren’t mentioned, White took the high road with his thoughts on “The Axe Murderer.”

“I’ve never said a bad thing about Wanderlei Silva in my life,” he said. “I’ve always respected the guy and there is no way that guy can ever say that myself or Lorenzo Fertitta ever disrespected him. There’s nothing more that needs to be said.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

view original article >>