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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Last month, longtime UFC light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar was given a chance to close out his career on a high note, with a fight against longtime UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva on short notice in Brazil. He took the fight, was defeated in the first round, but had his chance against the greatest fighter in the world.
He was ready to walk away peacefully knowing he stood in there with the best, but then the drug tests came back.
Bonnar tested positive for an anabolic steroid out of the event, the second time he had failed a steroid test in his career. UFC President Dana White was asked to comment on the situation Saturday night after UFC 154, and he was understandably still upset about what happened, revealing that he hasn't spoken to Bonnar since.
"I haven't even answered his phone call," White said (transcribed by MMAJunkie.com. "I don't hate him, but I just don't want to talk to him right now."
"I think the thing that bums me out the most about the Bonnar thing is he didn't tell me. I offered you this fight. He wasn't planning on fighting. He said he was practicing to maybe do some pro wrestling. I've known Stephan for a long time, we have a great relationship – tell me. That's the thing that disappoints me the most."
Penick's Analysis: It's got to be massively disappointing for White in this situation. Despite having a previous steroid test failure under his belt, Bonnar was still one of the UFC's golden boys, and that's what gave him the opportunity with Silva in the first place. Having one of the guys White has credited for saving the UFC have another high profile drug test failure like this is crushing for White, and I can't blame him in the least for feeling the way he does about it.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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