Diaz coach: Test failure tarnishes Silva legacy
Cesar Gracie: “Was that real natural Bruce Lee-like talent or was it enhanced by cheating? That’s the question people are gonna have and it tarnishes your legacy.”
Nick Diaz moved up a division to fight Anderson Silva. And he apparently fought an Anderson Silva on Performance Enhancing Drugs. In an understatement, Diaz’s coach Cesar Gracie called that “scary.”
“Definitely one guy had an advantage he should not have had,” said Gracie to Marc Raimondi for MMAfighting. “He already enjoyed a weight advantage. We agreed to that. The other part we didn’t agree to.”
“Well how many times did he not get caught? That question is gonna be there. Was that real natural Bruce Lee-like talent or was it enhanced by cheating? That’s the question people are gonna have and it tarnishes your legacy. It’s not a good thing to do that stuff.”
Anderson Silva was nearly universally hailed as the best fighter in UFC history. Many argued he was the best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts, the Masahiko Kimura or Sugar Ray Robinson of the new sport.
The failed test brings doubt and questions into the equation. Was the test in error? If it was not in error, was it a one-time use of PEDs, due perhaps to his age of 39? If it was not in error and it was not a one-time occurrence, if Anderson Silva habitually used PEDs, what does that say about his legacy.
Silva has said through his doctor that he did not take any drugs, and his B samples are being tested. If in fact he did use PEDs, back in October the fighter himself addressed what could come next.
When the guys test for the steroids, (they should have) no more fights,” he said. “When you use the steroids, you use them for a long time. When you use the steroids for a long time, you have a problem.
The next NSAC meeting is Feb. 17 at which point Silva will in all likelihood be temporarily suspended, and disciplinary hearings will be scheduled for March or April.