Chael Sonnen news reveals the temporary suspension imposed on "The American Gangster" by the Nevada Athletic Commission after failing the pre-fight drug test for UFC 175.
The former number one middleweight contender tested positive for Anastrozole and Clomiphene, both intended for testosterone enhancement. This resulted to Chael Sonnen being forced out of the UFC 175 fight card, which ultimately led to his decision to permanently walk away from mixed martial arts competition.
On Tuesday, a temporary suspension was imposed on Chael Sonnen by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC), pending a hearing, to give the 37-year old fighter a chance to state his case.
Initially, "The American Gangster" tried to appeal his positive testing for the banned substances, stating "he has a legitimate medical need for testosterone."
"I was not an abuser," he told FOX Sports 1 of the Chael Sonnen news. "I was a user of testosterone. So when you come off of this and you have a medical need, you must transition."
However, Chael Sonnen rescinded his appeal and opted to retire from the sport instead. "The American Gangster" recently spoke further about the Chael Sonnen news and what made him decide to completely walk away from the sport he has competed professionally at for 14 years.
"I have to put my health first," he said of the Chael Sonnen news. "I have to put my family first. If I know what I know now, and I know this is going to work and I'm going to be able to get my wife pregnant and look forward to having a family, I'm going to do the exact same thing 20 more times so it's going to put me out of compliance 20 more times.
"Let's just stop with that," he continued. "Let me just remove myself."
Chael Sonnen's reputation as a top-tier fighter and exceptional promoter at the same time has made him a fan-favorite. But after more than a decade of competition, he has managed to accept his fate and move on.
"There's going to be a day where I'm no longer going to have the title of fighter - that's just a reality," he said. "I don't ever there want to be a day where I'm not going to have the title of parent, father, and husband and my health has got to come first."
