SEATTLE — A little over a month has passed since Stephan Bonnar tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone, the second failed drug test of his career, and yet “The American Psycho” is still not on speaking terms with his boss, UFC President Dana White.
“I have not talked to Bonnar yet,” revealed White. “I’m still mad at Bonnar.
“I don’t hate him. It’s not like I’m never going to have a relationship with Stephan Bonnar again. He’ll always be with the UFC. His fight with Forrest (Griffin), we’re all here because of that. But, I’m mad at him. He should have told me.”
While the failed test marked an unfortunate end to Bonnar’s UFC tenure, it made Anderson Silva’s dominant victory much more impressive in retrospect, White believes.
“I was thinking about this yesterday. This guy is 38 years old, 38 years old, and still performing at the level that he is. Bonnar went the distance with Jon Jones, and he said to me after his fight with Anderson Silva, he was in total shock. Not to mention the fact that then we find out he was on steroids. So he’s on steroids, he’s already the bigger, stronger guy, Anderson Silva had 36 days to prepare for that fight, and he f**king annihilated him.
“So then after the fight,” White continued. “He says to me, ‘That guy lives in the Matrix.’ That’s what he said. ‘Nobody has done that to me in my life. I’ve never had that done to me. I felt like I’ve never fought a day in my life when I went in there with this guy.'”
Since his victory, Silva has publicly lobbied for a superfight against UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Though now that the Canadian is likely to defend his title against Nick Diaz, plans are already in the works for Silva’s next move.
“I met with Anderson Silva yesterday,” White finished. “Flew in and he sat down with me and Lorenzo, and we talked for hours. We got some fun things for Anderson (planned).”
GUSTAFSSON VS. RUA TO DETERMINE NO. 1 CONTENDER
As if the stakes weren’t already high enough, the winner of UFC on FOX 5’s co-main event — which pits rising contender Alexander Gustafsson against former titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua — will be in line for a title shot against reigning champion Jon Jones.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the news during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference.
“Look at the fights that Shogun has had in his past two or three fights,” White said. “There’s no doubt about it, he is the gatekeeper right now to that title. So, if Alexander can beat Shogun, he’d get the shot. Shogun wins, he gets it. Unless there’s some crazy s**t that happens, which always does.”
Previously White promised the “most impressive” winner of UFC on FOX 4’s main card would receive the next shot at Jones’ light heavyweight title. However Lyoto Machida turned down a bout on four weeks notice at UFC 152, and Vitor Belfort and Chael Sonnen were ultimately given the next two cracks at the belt.
WHITE: SUPERFIGHTS STILL GOING TO HAPPEN
While a superfight between UFC stalwarts Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre is no longer a viable option, UFC President Dana White wouldn’t count out the idea being revisited in the near future.
“[Silva] could fight either one of them,” White said. “I think he’ll fight them both before his career is over.”
White went on to ensure the pair of heavily discussed match-ups are more than just a pipe dream, because eventually all parties involved won’t be able to say no, for both monetary and prideful reasons.
“Anderson Silva is a guy that likes to challenge himself,” explained White. “And I think he likes to f**k with you guys, to be honest with you. I’ll read something and I’ll be like, ‘What the f**k? He said that?’ I think he just plays with you guys because the conversations we have behind the scenes are completely different then what is said publicly. And when has Anderson Silva never stepped up to the plate and done what we’ve asked him or needed him to do?
“He’ll fight anybody. He’ll fight anybody, and he knows he’ll win if he does. That’s how he talks behind closed doors.”
DAVIS LIKELY OUT OF UFC 155
According to UFC President Dana White, Phil Davis (10-1, 1 NC) will likely be pulled from the main card of UFC 155 and re-booked for a fight in early 2013.
Davis’ opponent, Forrest Griffin (19-7), was forced to withdraw from the bout earlier this week after suffering an MCL tear and ACL strain in his knee. The announcement was third major setback for the once stacked year-end card, with both Chris Weidman and Gray Maynard having already been lost due to injury.