UFC
UFC President Dana White still unhappy with CSAC's ruling, but UFC will honor Chael Sonnen's suspension
May 30, 2011 - 10:00:38 AM UFC President Dana White still unhappy with CSAC's ruling, but UFC will honor Chael Sonnen's suspension

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC President Dana White wasn't happy with the California State Athletic Commission's handling of Chael Sonnen this past month. After they initially reduced his steroid suspension from a year to six months in a December hearing - due to what turned out to be less than truthful testimony and confusion on the part of the commission - White felt Sonnen had done all he was asked.

But when Sonnen then plead guilty to money laundering charges and his comments about clearing his testosterone usage in Nevada prior to his California suspension were proven to not be the case, the CSAC took him to task, suspending him "indefinitely." Indefinitely in this case just goes to the expiration of his current license on June 29.

White doesn't agree that Sonnen's statements warranted the second punishment, and said after Saturday's UFC 130 event again that he felt Sonnen had paid his dues.

"I think Chael has paid his dues," he said. "Can you keep a guy from making a living for having a big mouth? He's a big mouth. He says dumb s***. He says stuff that doesn't make sense sometimes. He lives on his own little planet. I can tell you this: You go throughout the history of boxing and look at some of the guys that have been licensed in boxing and what they've done."

Sonnen is supposedly free to apply elsewhere after his CSAC license expires on June 29, and doesn't necessarily need to apply in California to fight again. However, some other commissions may be wary of licensing him until his ordeal with the CSAC is completed.

And even though White's not happy with what has happened, he's not going to be going against the commission and attempting to book Sonnen elsewhere, such as a state with a lax commission or an overseas event without one.

"We don't do that," White said after UFC 130 on Saturday of attempting to book him elsewhere. "He's going to have to pay his dues and straighten his stuff out with [the CSAC], even though I think what's happened to him is wrong."

"We'll honor that suspension until it's cleared up. [The commissions] regulate me; they're my boss too. You show me a guy who fought the government and won. Show me that guy. I want to meet him. I don't want to be the next guy to try it. I do what I'm told."