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Chael Sonnen Tests Positive for Steroids at UFC 117
Chael Sonnen entered 2010 with a two-fight winning streak over tough middleweights Yushin Okami and Dan Miller. He earned a shot at the title after rendering Nate Marquardt impotent at UFC 109. In the buildup to the title fight with champion Anderson Silva, Sonnen turned up his already cartoonish and abrasive personality to 11, inundating the MMA community with verbal barbs aimed at Silva any time he found a microphone thrust in his face.
Sonnen backed up the venom his mouth spewed, despite the belief of most pundits that Silva would make quick work of the Oregonian. After 23 minutes of one-sided action, the MMA world prepared itself for the coronation of a new champion, and the end of the most impressive winning streak ever seen inside the Octagon.
That's when Sonnen pulled a Sonnen, as he fell victim to a triangle choke.
The bad news didn't end there. After word leaked of a failed drug test, the California State Athletic Commission officially suspended Sonnen on September 22nd. The commission claimed Sonnen's drug test came back with a high testosterone-to-epitestosterone level, which indicates the use of an anabolic steroid.
Sonnen, contrary to his natural tendencies, remained mum about the test results until his hearing with the CSAC on December 2nd. I provided the following summary of the proceedings:
The California State Athletic Commission reduced Chael Sonnen's suspension by six months and maintained a fine of $2,500. A motion to uphold the year-long suspension failed by a vote of 2-2.
The two-hour long hearing was largely a circus. Sonnen's doctor - wearing a black t-shirt, chewing gum, and avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room - was brought in to explain his diagnosis of hypogonadism and subsequent prescription of testosterone injections. He was also unable to provide documentation of a fax sent to the athletic commission regarding Sonnen's testosterone uses, claiming that it wasn't kept in Sonnen's medical folder.
The amazing thing? Chael Sonnen's well on his way to defending his award in 2011 after pleading guilty to mortgage fraud committed in 2006.
Full results after the jump.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total | |
| Chael Sonnen Tests Positive | 10 | 8 | 11 | 85 |
| Paul Daley Sucker Punch | 9 | 10 | 4 | 79 |
| MMA Judging | 11 | 6 | 5 | 78 |
| Strikeforce: Nashville Brawl | 9 | 8 | 6 | 75 |
| M-1 Global/Fedor | 5 | 1 | 3 | 31 |
| James Toney in UFC | 2 | 4 | 4 | 26 |
| MMA Commissions | 2 | 5 | 1 | 26 |
| Silva Clowning at UFC 112 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| Pavelich/Juarez Situation | 1 | 5 | ||
| Strikeforce | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Shane Carwin | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Fighters Not Getting Paid | 1 | 3 | ||
| UFC 119 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Bob Reilly's Reelection | 1 | 3 | ||
| Rashad Evans' Footwork | 1 | 3 | ||
| Japanese MMA | 1 | 3 | ||
| Koscheck's Fake Prefight | 2 | 2 | ||
| UFC Strong Arms Sponsors | 1 | 1 | ||
| Gus Johnson | 1 | 1 | ||
| Aoki vs. Nagashima | 1 | 1 | ||
| Cro Cop/Barry Hugfest | 1 | 1 |
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