Belfort vs. Okami at UFC 122 to Decide Next Middleweight Title Contender

Last week, Vitor Belfort let us all know that instead of expecting a title shot if he defeats Yushin Okami at UFC 122, he expect[s] Jesus, bro, every day. Well, it seems that the Lord has rewarded Belfort’s devotion. The UFC’s Marshall Zelaznik confi…

Vitor Belfort Yushin Okami UFC 122

Last week, Vitor Belfort let us all know that instead of expecting a title shot if he defeats Yushin Okami at UFC 122, he expect[s] Jesus, bro, every day. Well, it seems that the Lord has rewarded Belfort’s devotion. The UFC’s Marshall Zelaznik confirmed today that the Belfort/Okami main event in Germany will determine the next challenger to Anderson Silva‘s middleweight belt. "Both Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami are one win away from a shot at the UFC middleweight title and are coming to Germany with a great deal to win and lose,” Zelaznik said.

Now, we all know that the UFC 122 main event has been upgraded to an official title eliminator because Chael Sonnen pissed hot and will be suspended for up to a year. Obviously, that wasn’t mentioned in the announcement. At some point, the UFC is going to have to make some kind of public statement on the fact that their Fight of the Night-winning former #1 contender won’t be around for a while, and won’t be getting that immediate title rematch that Dana White told everyone about. But for now, promoting Belfort vs. Okami is a more pressing issue, I guess.

As for Belfort, he’s just living proof that if you put your faith in God, you’ll experience miracles. I mean, the dude who said Lance Armstrong gave himself cancer by taking steroids failed a freakin’ steroid test the next month? Honestly, who saw that coming?

Chael Sonnen PED Update #1: ‘Natural Steroids’, Dana White’s Response + More

(Chael’s growing bacne problem: the smoking gun? Or were the mats just not washed after Lindland used them? Image courtesy of CageWriter.)
A few notable points that have emerged since yesterday’s bombshell that Chael Sonnen tested posi…

Chael Sonnen bacne steroids back acne UFC Silva Marquardt Okami
(Chael’s growing bacne problem: the smoking gun? Or were the mats just not washed after Lindland used them? Image courtesy of CageWriter.)

A few notable points that have emerged since yesterday’s bombshell that Chael Sonnen tested positive for performance enhancing drugs following UFC 117

– According to the L.A. Times’ Lance Pugmire, Sonnen tested positive for a "natural steroid" before his fight with Anderson Silva. Natural steroids, such as androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone, aren’t chemically altered like synthetic steroids, and can be sold over-the-counter as supplements at health food stores.

– Sonnen is facing a year-long suspension and a $2,500 fine, which he has 30 days to appeal. According to California State Athletic Commission Executive Officer George Dodd, Sonnen’s positive test emerged from a urine sample he gave before the fight that was processed through the UCLA Olympic drug-testing lab.

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UFC Fighter Shane Carwin Linked to Convicted Pharmacist and Steroids

Today, a Federal judge handed down a four-year prison term to a local pharmacist convicted of participating in a nationwide conspiracy to illegally sell anabolic steroids made in Mobile, Alabama.     J. Michael Bennett was the supervis…

Today, a Federal judge handed down a four-year prison term to a local pharmacist convicted of participating in a nationwide conspiracy to illegally sell anabolic steroids made in Mobile, Alabama.     J. Michael Bennett was the supervising pharmacist at Applied Pharmacy Services and was the first to be sentenced from a group of […]

UFC Betting

UFC Fighter Shane Carwin Linked to Convicted Pharmacist and Steroids

Carwin Named in Federal Steroids Case, Newspaper Report Says

(PicProps: Squabbles.com)
The name of former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin appeared on a list of 22 professional athletes federal prosecutors allege obtained steroids from a Mobile, Ala.-based pharmacy between 2004-06, according to an i…


(PicProps: Squabbles.com)

The name of former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin appeared on a list of 22 professional athletes federal prosecutors allege obtained steroids from a Mobile, Ala.-based pharmacy between 2004-06, according to an internet report published on Friday by the Mobile Press-Register newspaper.

Carwin was among seven athletes – including pro wrestlers Kurt Angle and “Hardcore” Bob Holly as well as four professional bodybuilders – named by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Dobbins at the sentencing of Alabama pharmacist J. Michael Bennett. Bennett, one of five men recently found guilty of "participating in a nationwide conspiracy to illegally sell anabolic steroids," was sentenced to four years in prison, according to the report.

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9 Questions You Should Never Ask in an MMA Interview

(Leave it to the professionals, Andy…)
A couple weeks ago, I stumbled across a Bleacher Report article titled "The Top 10 Questions Every MMA Fighter Should Be Asked." It was written by a teenage contributor named Dale De Souza who, at th…


(Leave it to the professionals, Andy…)

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled across a Bleacher Report article titled "The Top 10 Questions Every MMA Fighter Should Be Asked." It was written by a teenage contributor named Dale De Souza who, at that point, had only done one interview with an MMA fighter, but still felt like he’d accumulated enough wisdom to put together a guide for aspiring MMA journalists. Isn’t that adorable? For the most part, De Souza’s question suggestions are pretty standard fare if you’re interviewing an up-and-comer that fans don’t know much about, and you don’t mind being unoriginal. (i.e., "How did you get into the sport?" "Which team are you training with in preparation for your next bout?" "Do you like to stand with your opponents or take them to the ground?")

As the founding editor of CagePotato.com, I’ve been interviewing MMA fighters for nearly three years, and through trial and error, I’ve learned a lot about what not to ask during fighter interviews. Dale will learn this stuff in time, but to save him (and others like him) a lot of heartbreak, uncomfortable silences, and dull articles, I’ve put together a list of my own. Read on, and avoid these interview questions at all costs…

1. Will you choke me out?/Will you kick me in the leg?
Don’t do it. It’s been done, and you might end up in the hospital. You’ll have to find another way to make your name by humiliating yourself. (By the way, barfing on camera has also been done.)

2. What’s your gameplan for [opponent’s name]?
As it turns out, very few fighters are willing to publicly reveal what they’re planning to do to their opponents, in specific detail; go figure. So don’t expect a satisfying response to this question. Most of the time, you’ll get some variation of "I’m just gonna focus on what I do best, and try to show everybody what I’m capable of." Boooooooring.

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Fans to Blame for Ken Shamrock’s Steroid Use, Ken Shamrock Says

(Ken Shamrock on steroids? Stop the presses!)
The revelation of a UFC Hall of Famer’s past steroid use promised by HDNet’s “Inside MMA” became pretty anticlimactic on Friday when the fighter in question turned out to be Ken Sham…


(Ken Shamrock on steroids? Stop the presses!)

The revelation of a UFC Hall of Famer’s past steroid use promised by HDNet’s “Inside MMA” became pretty anticlimactic on Friday when the fighter in question turned out to be Ken Shamrock. While Shamrock’s taped interview during a segment of the show called “Fighting Words with Mike Straka” marked his first public admission of cheating, the MMA pioneer has long been rumored to dabble in the juice and tested positive for banned substances following his most recent victory —  a submission win over the now-deceased Ross Clifton in Feb. of 2009  — so the news came as a surprise to exactly no one.

More interesting than the actual confession were Shamrock’s contentions that steroids are so easy to get it’s “like going to the grocery store,” and that fans should shoulder at least some of the responsibility for athletes turning to performance enhancers.

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