May Stories of the Month: Case Not Closed

Sherdog.com StaffJun 01, 2015

Wanderlei Silva took a round from the Nevada Athletic Commission in court. | Photo: Taro Irei/Sherdog.com

Wanderlei Silva may be retired, but he is not done fighting the Nevada Athletic Commission.

A Nevada district court judge on May 15 overturned the NAC’s lifetime ban and $70,000 fine on Silva, ruling that the commission’s disciplinary actions were “arbitrary, capricious and not supported by substantial evidence.” The same judge, however, dismissed Silva’s argument that the NAC exceeded its jurisdiction by attempting to drug test him when he was not a licensed fighter.

Judge Kerry Earley ordered that Silva, 38, appear before the NAC for rehearing on the matter, though exactly when that hearing will take place remains unclear.

Silva’s ban and fine stemmed from a May 2014 incident in which the NAC sent a representative to the fighter’s Wand Fight Team gym in Las Vegas and attempted to procure a urine sample prior to his then-scheduled UFC 175 bout with Chael Sonnen. The Brazilian veteran fled before producing the sample and later claimed that he ran from the test because he had taken banned diuretics to reduce inflammation on a wrist injury. Silva announced his retirement in September following his last appearance before the NAC.

The other stories of interest on Sherdog.com during the month of May:

* VACANCY FILLED
* HAWAIIAN PUNCH
* GREAT EXPECTATIONS
* ‘JAG’-GED EDGE
* COVER GIRL
* PUMPED UP OR AIRED OUT?
* VITOR BELFORT, FROM THE BEGINNING?
* TALKING TRASH
* SHATTERED ONE SUNDAY