For a long time, Anderson Silva was the most feared and highly revered fighter in Mixed Martial Arts. However, his recent win over Nick Diaz has been controversial due to "The Spider's" positive drug test. Rumors have been circling that up to $6 million has been blocked in light of this news. Now, the UFC has made an official statement denying any such hold on funds. Also, Silva has been adamant in denying any use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The 39-year-old Silva is the middle of four siblings. He was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil to a poverty stricken family. Anderson has claimed that his start in martial arts comes from an abundance of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. It served as an out for poor people to excel and to get their name out there.
And, that is just what Silva did.
Since Silva's debut in the UFC at Ultimate Fight Night 5, he has dominated the Middleweight division. His first fight was against Chris Leben who was undefeated at the time. After Silva utterly dismantled the brute, Anderson instantly earned time inside the MMA spotlight.
After that, Anderson's reputation skyrocketed and he has defeated some of the most notable names in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, Silva fans recently received some unsettling news. According to Bloody Elbow, many rumors followed the revealation of Anderson Silva's alleged drug use:
"Anderson Silva has reportedly had...6 million US blocked by the UFC due to his pre-fight drug test failure. Vega.com.br reported the news, stating that the money will be released after the Nevada Athletic Commission has made its final rulings on Silva's case. The amount is the sum of his $600,000 purse to show, win bonus of $200,000, and his pay-per-view points. [However,] The UFC is denying a Brazilian news report that they have blocked payment to the former champ following his UFC 183 drug test failure."
Even though it seems pretty evident that the one-time great may be a juicer and cheat, Vancouver Sun has pointed out that Silva has denied any steroid usage:
"Former middleweight champion Anderson Silva has denied doping and the UFC says he will continue in his role as coach on "The Ultimate Fighter Brazil" despite failing a drug test...The 39-year-old Silva, one of mixed martial arts' icons, tested positive for two steroids in an out-of-competition random test prior to UFC 183 last Saturday...UFC president Dana White seemed to be straddling both sides of the fence in his statement Wednesday."
What do you think about the situation? Can any athlete be trusted anymore? Are fans screwed when it comes to following a top athlete? Let us know your opinions in the comment section below.
