Is it really a surprise? I ask this questions honestly. Seeing Sean Sherk I would never have said straight out that he was a steroid user. He is ripped and he has incredible cardio but you would think that a guy that talks so much about supporting his family would never risk such a thing. I also wonder why he has never come up positive in the past. Sean Sherk performed exactly the same as he did against Kenny “Let Go” Florian, and has been an incredibly strong fighter his whole career, so, why now?
I think injury may have played a factor this time. Sean Sherk had gotten surgery on his shoulder not too long ago. Who knows how that affected him and his training. His shoulder was hurt before his fight against Florian, but I have seen personally with friends who have played collegiate level sports that their play can be seriously affected by surgery. Maybe since Sherk was such a training freak that he started to get worried when he wasn’t seeing the same results as in the past. We may never know, but it is clear that Sherk had twice the allowed limit of Nandrolone in his system. He simply broke the rules and should be punished.
Steve Sievert over at Brawl Sports wrote an interesting list of reactions the UFC should have in response to this scandal:
1. Strip Sherk of the title immediately. Both his “A” and “B” samples tested positive. There’s no ambiguity here … no cloak-and-dagger mystery that has mired the Floyd Landis debacle in cycling. I don’t see any need to wait for Sherk to appeal to pull the belt. This is too dark of a black eye.
2. Fine both Sherk and Franca another $5,000. I know these guys don’t make a ton of bank, and they already have been dinged $2,500 by the CSAC, but that’s too light. Drill home the message.
3. Schedule BJ Penn versus Spencer Fisher for UFC 76. The bout would be for the vacant lightweight title and could potentially be one hell of a fight. Both fighters are deserving of the shot. Let’s just hope they can pass a drug test.
I really enjoy reading Sievert’s columns because is usually right on with his commentary. There is no doubt that Sherk should be stripped of his title. He enhanced his performance with an illegal substance and in any sport whatever is won while using that substance is stripped. The fine is a bit subjective to me but it would definitely bring home the point that the UFC is not messing around. His third point is the best. As of right now the only fight that has been discussed as a main even for UFC 76 is Chuck Liddell and Keith Jardin, which would be a total joke of a main event. If a light weight title fight between BJ Penn and Spencer Fisher happened then things would get a whole lot more interesting.
In fact, BJ Penn has already commented on the whole steroid debacle and his yearning to be the light weight champion:
Hopefully fighters will get the point now, DON’T USE STEROIDS! It’s wrong and illegal and hurts the image of the sport that we all enjoy.
