By now, all the MMA world knows about Anderson Silva’s failed drug test. The former middleweight champion tested positive twice surrounding his UFC 183 bout against Nick Diaz, for the anabolic steroids drostanolone and androstane. While Silva awaits an official punishment ruling from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, there’s been some interesting fallout from his test results. Notably, because Silva has been such a god-like figure in MMA for so long, reports of his drug use have driven many fighters to comment publicly on steroid abuse, and where they think the problems with PEDs in MMA are.
Some fighters have been notably harsh, willing to question the bulk of Silva’s career or call for his retirement .Others have been more even handed, more willing to wait and see. And some are voicing their opinion, that they just can’t imagine Silva himself being guilty of doping. Count Anthony Johnson among that last group as he recently stated that he felt Silva’s coaches could be at the root of Silva’s testing woes (transcript via MMAFighting).
“It was disappointing, but with the way guys are getting popped left and right it doesn’t surprise me,” Johnson told Fighthub. “A lot of times I think these fighters, you know, we’ve got our coaches, our trainers, people that we trust and sometimes they just say, ‘Here, take this.’ We trust them so we take it. Sometimes you just don’t ask questions about what is it. You just take their word for it because they’ve been in your corner for so many times. You just take it. You don’t think twice about it. You think it’s something good for you. Once again, you trust them.”
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“In Anderson’s case, just for me, I just think that’s what it was,” said Johnson. “I don’t think Anderson’s really ever been a cheater. He’s been a showboater, we know that. That’s who he is. He makes the fights entertaining. I don’t think he’s ever been to the point where he’s used something illegal to be the fighter that he is.”
Silva was supposed to stand before the NAC on Monday, March 23rd, but was granted a continuance, until April just last week. It remains to be seen just what Silva’s official defense will be when faced with a long-term suspension. For his part, Johnson is scheduled to take on Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 187 on May 23rd.
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