(Where’s your crazy heavy metal music and strobe-lights now, playboy? / Props: wandfightteam)
After Chael Sonnen accused Wanderlei Silva of literally running from an unannounced NSAC drug-test — which reportedly led to his removal from UFC 175 — Silva has released his side of the story in a new video released today. According to Silva, the whole thing is “all a big confusion.” Sadly, he doesn’t seem to realize that the fight with Sonnen has already been scrapped. Here’s his full statement:
“This is all a big confusion. Everything I’ve heard, I heard it just like you, from the Internet. Last Saturday, a guy showed up at my gym with several papers in English saying that I had to sign the papers. I asked him if all the documents were written in English and he said yes. He did not show me any identification. So I told him that I can’t read English very well and I would need my lawyer present to able to sign any documents. Then I had to leave since it was the day of Barao’s fight and I was very busy here in Vegas.
“In 20 years of career and 50 professional fights, I never refused to test or failed to apply for a license to fight. My fight will be in Las Vegas on July 5, so we were more than one month from the fight. And my plans were to do all of my obligations once I get back from Brazil since I’m going to Brazil for the TUF Brazil Finale. Once I am back in Las Vegas I will reach out to the NSAC to submit myself to any blood or urine test like I always have done. [Ed. note: Oh, so he wanted to do the drug test *after* he got back from Brazil? Makes perfect sense to me. Give this man his license!]
“If this fight doesn’t happen it will be very difficult for me. I have invested all my time and I’ve gone through a lot to make this fight happen. I’ve had to deal with a lot of pressure, and I went through a lot on TUF Brazil 3. And I’ve been putting all my strength and effort into my training camp. I’m training harder than I’ve ever trained in my life.
“This is the fight I wanted the most in my entire life. And I will do everything I can to make this fight happen. All this will get resolved, and I will be there on July 5 to put on a great show for all of you my friends. I will show our strength and willpower and I will achieve one more victory for us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all my supporters.”
Despite Wandy’s wishful thinking, he has definitely been removed from UFC 175, although reports of him being fired from the promotion are inaccurate. Chael Sonnen will remain on the July 5th card against Vitor Belfort, and the fight is back to being at middleweight, apparently.