Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le says he is “completely surprised” to hear he failed a post-fight drug test for human growth hormone (HGH), and he is calling into question the procedures used to test him.
In a written statement sent to MMA Junkie, Le pleaded his innocence after the UFC handed down a one-year suspension following his UFC Fight Night 48 loss to Michael Bisping last month (h/t MMA Junkie).
I was completed surprised at the results of my recent drug test. I was informed by the UFC that I passed my pre– and post-fight drug test, as well as the majority of the blood tests with the only abnormality being an elevated level of HGH being determined to be present. I tested negative for anabolics, stimulants, diuretics, masking agents and my testosterone levels were within World Anti-Doping Agency and Nevada State Athletic Commission Approved limits a total of three times over two urine tests and a blood test collected both before and after my fight, which is what makes these HGH result so difficult for me to accept as correct. This has also caused me to call the testing procedures into question.
Le, 42, appeared to be in the best shape of his career heading into the grudge match with “The Count,” but he was thoroughly beaten and battered in the contest before getting TKO’ed in the fourth round.
The contest was the first time the Vietnamese striker stepped inside the cage in a whopping 21 months, and his performance clearly showed both his age and his long layoff.
While it was up in the air whether Le would compete again, the suspension all but guarantees his fight career is over.
Le, an unbeaten (17-0) kickboxer with a TV/film career that dates back to 1997, has become the butt of many jokes in light of a pre-fight interview where he insisted a picture taken after a hard training session portrayed him in a very favorable way due to good lighting, per MMA Junkie.
The usually outspoken Bisping took the high road when asked about his recent opponent’s drug test failure, stating that he didn’t “want to kick a man while he’s down,” per MMA Fighting.
Dating back to December 2009, Le is just 3-3 in his past six contests and has fought just three times since July 2012.
Is there any chance that a faulty lab testing procedure led to Le’s drug test mishap, or is that just a convoluted excuse for the cage veteran to save face?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
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