UFC welterweight Matt Brown in favor of lifetime ban for Anderson Silva

On August 13th, it was announced that former long-time middleweight champion Anderson Silva would serve a 12 month suspension (retroactive Jan 31st) for his failed drug test at UFC 183. Silva's win over Nick Diaz was also overturned to a no contest and the Brazilian was fined $380,000.

During the bizarre hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, 'The Spider' claimed that a sexually enhancing "blue vial" he acquired from a friend in Thailand contained the steroid drostanolone, one of the drugs he tested positive for at UFC 183. After Silva's hokey defense, several translation hiccups and a series of sexually-themed ringtones, the commission served Anderson with his one-year suspension.

Welterweight slugger Matt Brown thinks the former #1 got off lightly. 'The Immortal' believes Silva should have been hit with at least a four-year suspension, if not a lifetime ban.

"I have no respect for people that cheat," Brown said on the latest Great MMA Debate podcast. "Like I've said many times before, I think he should have been (suspended) four years, take his whole damn purse away, if not a lifetime (ban).

"I don't see anything wrong with a lifetime ban."

Given that Silva's suspension began from the night of UFC 183 on January 31st, the team Black House fighter could return to the Octagon as early as February, 2016.

Long-time nemesis Chael Sonnen recently sent out a mysterious tweet hinting that he perhaps wants a third fight with Silva. Sonnen, who is also serving a suspension from the NSAC after multiple failed drug tests, could also return to the UFC early next year.