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This upcoming Tuesday December 04th, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) will finalize their decision over the appeal regarding the positve steroid test and suspension of UFC Lightweight Champion Sean ‘The Muscle Shark’ Sherk. History has shown that when it comes to the CSAC, there is no firm date with anything they do as is evidenced of their postponement of Sherk’s original November 13th hearing to December 04th.
The reason for the postponement was that the CSAC wanted more time to review some of the information brought forth by Sherk’s attorney Howard Jacob. Some of Jacob’s findings and presentation to the CSAC is rumoured to showcase that Sherk unknowingly may have taken an over the counter supplement which may potentially have been loaded with a substance deemed illegal by the commission. That substance is ‘Nandrolone’ of which Sherk tested positive for in his successful July UFC title defence vs Hermes Franca. Sherk was subsequently fined $2500 and suspended for one year.
While this excruciating situation has driven most MMA fans bananas, the UFC has decided that the lightweight title picture needs to be straightened out as soon as possible, thus creating an interm title bout between contenders BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson. This interm title bout will go down January 19th at UFC 80, which is scheduled to take place in Newcastle, England. The winner of this bout would then end up fighting Sherk to unify both titles but their opposite theories regarding the whole ‘interm title’ debate.
Sherk does not believe it is a real title and thus is basically calling the winner of this bout a fake champion. On the other side of the fence, BJ Penn has been really laying a verbal beating Sherk’s way, obviously frustrated and disgusted with the current champion. Penn stated “Sean Sherk can say it’s a fake interim title, but his belt is no more real that Marion Jones’ gold medals”. Penn also went on to state that he will not fight Sherk if the appeal is upheld and Sherk is in fact found guilty as charged.
Tuesday will be a big day for MMA on a variety of different levels. We will hopefully know whether Sherk’s appeal is approved or denied, whether or not his suspension will be reduced, erased or deemed as ‘time served’ and on a seperate note, whether certain supplement companies that will be listed in the appeal are in fact loading their products with illegal substances. Here’s hoping that on Tuesday, the CSAC can finally end this incredible saga of events.
