Chael Sonnen receives temporary suspension, hearing slated for later date

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) unanimously voted on Tuesday to issue retired UFC veteran Chael Sonnen a temporary suspension for the failed random drug test in late-May that effectively forced him off UFC 175’s pay-per-view card and led to his retirement from mixed martial arts.

Sonnen, who tested positive for the banned substances Anastrozole and Clomiphene, is expected to state his case at a full hearing later this year at a yet-to-be-scheduled NAC meeting.

A 37-year-old former No. 1 middleweight contender best known his for two title challenges against Anderson Silva, Sonnen initially planned to file an appeal against the failed test, stating that both of the substances he tested positive for were necessary to complete his transition of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), a treatment which he had been on for several years due to a diagnosis of hypogonadism. However a day later he rescinded that intention and instead announced his retirement.

“I want to stay within the rules, and I don’t fully understand them,” Sonnen said. “I have to put my health first. I have to put my family first. If I know what I know now, and I know this is going to work and I’m going to be able to get my wife pregnant and look forward to having a family, I’m going to do the exact same thing 20 more times so it’s going to put me out of compliance 20 more times. Let’s just stop with that. Let me just remove myself.

“There’s going to be a day where I’m no longer going to have the title of fighter – that’s just a reality. I don’t ever there want to be a day where I’m not going to have the title of parent, father, and husband and my health has got to come first.”

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) unanimously voted on Tuesday to issue retired UFC veteran Chael Sonnen a temporary suspension for the failed random drug test in late-May that effectively forced him off UFC 175’s pay-per-view card and led to his retirement from mixed martial arts.

Sonnen, who tested positive for the banned substances Anastrozole and Clomiphene, is expected to state his case at a full hearing later this year at a yet-to-be-scheduled NAC meeting.

A 37-year-old former No. 1 middleweight contender best known his for two title challenges against Anderson Silva, Sonnen initially planned to file an appeal against the failed test, stating that both of the substances he tested positive for were necessary to complete his transition of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), a treatment which he had been on for several years due to a diagnosis of hypogonadism. However a day later he rescinded that intention and instead announced his retirement.

“I want to stay within the rules, and I don’t fully understand them,” Sonnen said. “I have to put my health first. I have to put my family first. If I know what I know now, and I know this is going to work and I’m going to be able to get my wife pregnant and look forward to having a family, I’m going to do the exact same thing 20 more times so it’s going to put me out of compliance 20 more times. Let’s just stop with that. Let me just remove myself.

“There’s going to be a day where I’m no longer going to have the title of fighter – that’s just a reality. I don’t ever there want to be a day where I’m not going to have the title of parent, father, and husband and my health has got to come first.”