The Weekly Wrap: Dec. 6 - Dec. 12

A new era for California State Athletic Commission

In the wake of the resignation of the first executive officer to oversee MMA in the state, the California State Athletic Commission has begun a recasting of its mission including new drug testing procedures that went into effect this week. The CSAC will now have all fighter urine samples sent to the same World Anti-Doping Association lab in Los Angeles, which follows the same procedures as testing in the Olympics and the National Football League. Steroid test samples were previously sent to diagnostics lab in Atlanta and Canada. The change means stricter standards and less room for appeals to scrutinize the number of parties who handle samples before they're examined in a lab. The samples will be taken in glass containers that are harder to tamper with without a machine than the plastic containers previously used. The commission, under the guidance of assistant executive officer Bill Douglas, will now base suspensions on one sample instead of the "Sample A" and "Sample B" system used previously. A second sample will now be processed only if a fighter requests it in appeal. The state is also looking to implement random tests like Nevada has, instead of simply testing in days before a fight.

The new regime will have its convictions tested in two ways in the next month. EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio Silva’s camp confirmed to Sherdog.com this week that he will be taking a fight on the Jan. 4 Sengoku card in Tokyo despite being on suspension until July for a steroid test failure. His manager told Sherdog he won't be able to meet important financial obligations if he doesn't fight until the suspension is up. Fighting while under suspension threatens Silva's ability to be licensed to fight in California and all other commission-run states. Silva has maintained he tested positive because he took Novodex, a hormone therapy that is not a banned substance. The commission is within its right to suspend the licenses of Silva and any of his corner men if he competes while under suspension.

The state also faces a thorny decision on whether to license Gilbert Yvel, who is booked to face Josh Barnett on the Jan. 24 Affliction "Day of Reckoning" card in Anaheim. Yvel was denied a license to fight in Nevada last year for his history of unsportsmanlike conduct, including biting opponents and attacking referees.