Anderson Silva
Brazil's Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Anderson Silva celebrates after defeating Japan's Yushin Okami during the UFC Rio, a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) competition in Rio de Janeiro August 27, 2011 REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes (BRAZIL - Tags: SPORT)

In a baffling and shrouded development in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, scene, both Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz tested positive in separate tests conducted in connection with the recently concluded middleweight non-title fight during UFC 183, the outfit’s second pay-per-view event of the year.

Silva, the most decorated Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter, tested positive for drostanolone and androstane substances, which are both prohibited performance enhancing drugs. What is baffling is that “The Spider” took the test in Jan. 9 which was administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and that the results were only handed to the Commission last Tuesday. NSAC Chairman Francisco Aguilar bared that the Salt Lake City-based Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory only handed the results after the fight was held, preventing his outfit to act on the matter.

"I would have had no problem calling the fight once I had this result," Aguilar told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports. "Those are not acceptable substances. But at the very least, by doing this out-of-competition test, we found this. We wouldn't have known had we not done the out-of-competition test."

This is the second time this year that the UFC has been embroiled in a high profile drug testing issue involving its best talents. Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones also tested positive for cocaine metabolites prior to his bout in UFC 182. The similarity in the instances of Silva and Jones are jarring given that the test was done weeks before the fight but the results were only disclosed after the bout has been completed. UFC President Dana White declined to comment on the development and offered the UFC’s official statement, instead.

Silva triumphed in a unanimous decision over returning combatant Diaz during the Jan. 31 fight held in the MGM Grand in las vegas, Nevada. The American fighter also tested positive for having been over the legal limit for marijuana metabolites which is set at 150 ng/ML. This is the third offense for Diaz after having tested positive for the same substance in 2007 and 2012, which would mean that he will face disciplinary action due to the frequency of his violations. The actual level of marijuana in Diaz system has not yet been disclosed but it is inferred that due to the circumstances involving both fighters, the recent UFC 183 main event will be likely ruled as a no contest.

For concerns on this story, contact the author at v.hidalgo@ibtimes.com.au.

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