Firas Zahabi, Georges St-Pierre’s longtime coach and friend, has some serious concerns regarding the future of MMA, following Anderson Silva’s failed drug test.
Joy and celebration over Silva’s triumphant return at UFC 183 turned to shock and disappointment on Tuesday, when it was announced the former middleweight champ had tested positive for steroids.
Nevada Athletic Commission Executive Director Bob Bennett, per MMAFighting.com, announced that traces of Drostanolone, an anabolic steroid, were found in Silva’s system in an out-of-competition drug test conducted on January 9. Silva also tested positive for endogenous testosterone, Androsterone.
Despite the drug test being conducted on January 9, the results didn’t come back until February 3, and Silva was still given the green light to compete in the UFC 183 headliner against Nick Diaz on January 31.
When speaking with La Presse in Montreal (h/t MMAFighting.com), Zahabi detailed a grim and catastrophic incident possibly occurring and ruining everything MMA has worked so hard to achieve in the mainstream sports world:
It’s unbelievable that they let them fight. Me personally, I would like the sport to be cleaned up. Because one day, a guy is going to die in the Octagon and we’re going to find out that the guy who killed him tested positive after the fact.
Silva, who is widely regarded as the greatest fighter in UFC history, has been forced to defend a legacy that has taken years to build. He vehemently proclaimed his innocence in a statement released through his manager, Ed Soares, on Wednesday.
The permanent stain from a failed drug test will weigh heavily on Silva’s legacy, if the failed results are conclusive. Fans and pundits have fiercely debated between Silva and St-Pierre in the pound-for-pound and all-time great categories for years. There was never a clear answer, until now.
If Silva is deemed guilty, Zahabi believes The Spider should no longer be considered the greatest fighter in MMA history. That honor should be bestowed upon St-Pierre, a former world champion with an untainted legacy. Zahabi said:
Georges is the best pound-for-pound fighter. We have to drop Silva. If he really cheated, we can’t set this example for the youth. It’s ridiculous. Is Lance Armstrong considered the best cyclist of all time? No. A few years ago, the answer would have been different.
Silva has been suspended temporarily by the NAC until an official hearing takes place. He is expected to stand before the commission in March or April.
Jordy McElroy is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon and FanRag Sports.
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