Maybe honesty isn’t necessarily the best policy — not for Hermes Franca, anyway.
The Brazilian UFC lightweight fighter came clean (unlike his drug test) after his loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 73: “Stacked” last month, admitting that he had used illegal steroids prior to the championship bout.
He was later fined and suspended from competition for one full year by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). In addition, he is banned from cornering fighters such as Kurt Pellegrino — his top student at The Armory training camp — during this time.
Meanwhile, during the same hearing before the CSAC professional boxer James Toney — who also tested positive for steroids in a recent fight — had his suspension reduced to six months.
Fair? Not according to this thread.
Perhaps the silver lining in all of this is that Franca isn’t complaining. He’s accepted his punishment and is taking it like a man.
Luke Thomas and his partner at WhoopAss Radio recently conducted an audio interview with Franca about the story behind his steroid use, the CSAC decision and the upcoming lightweight fight between Pellegrino and Joe Stevenson at UFC 74: “Respect” one week from today.
It’s interesting to hear the reason he resorted to taking steroids.
According to Franca, he approached the UFC about pulling out of the fight because of an ankle injury eight weeks prior to the event. Delaying the return of Sherk — who was out almost eight months rehabbing a shoulder injury — wasn’t something that the UFC was to keen on doing, however.
So, Franca used the steroids hoping that it would help his ankle heal faster and, at the very least, allow him to keep training.
Acceptable? Not one bit.
But, according to Franca, it’s the sad truth.
23 Comments »
He may well of learned his lesson but to me and most other people he is a cheat and will never ever be respected again in the same way,if he was ever to win the belt then it just wouldnt seem right,they should boot these idiots out of the UFC for good to get the point across,Dana White should of made an example of them and got rid of them to show the world that the UFC is not a sport of steroid pumped up idiots brawling in a cage coz that is the message that gets across to narrow minded people who dont follow the sport.
I am so against steroids. But I also don’t think its fair that a fighter can loose a title fight because of an injury. It happened to Karo, he was supposed to fight matt hughes a while back, then got hurt, and was never given a shot at the title again. I dont think thats fair. A fighter cant control injuries and should not be punished for being hurt. I hate cheaters, but if dana would change his ways, I believe Franca would never have used the roids. A cheat is a cheat, but come on, what would u do if your career(and livelyhhod) were on the line, because u got hurt. Cheating isnt fair, but neither is the position that Dana put Franca in. Gotta respect him being stand up about it, and taking his punishment like a man.
Do not think that he should be banned from cornering his fighters. Now his fighters are being punished not him, and thats not right. Kurt pellegrino has to go into the biggest fight of his life without his teacher, and cornerman(is that fair?)
Franca is a great guy and he is being real humble about accepting his punishement. He has learned from his mistake and will be back to contend for the UFC Lightweight Title. Good luck Franca.
[quote comment=”129017″]He may well of learned his lesson but to me and most other people he is a cheat and will never ever be respected again in the same way,if he was ever to win the belt then it just wouldnt seem right,they should boot these idiots out of the UFC for good to get the point across,Dana White should of made an example of them and got rid of them to show the world that the UFC is not a sport of steroid pumped up idiots brawling in a cage coz that is the message that gets across to narrow minded people who dont follow the sport.[/quote]
Knee jerk reaction much?
Im not saying that Hermes is right in taking steriods, nor am I saying that he had no other alternative. But that right there shows the monopolization of the UFC. The guy was injured, he was the challenger - but the UFC was adamit about the fact they wanted Sherk to fight. Not many alternatives out there for things like that, and unfortunately in his situation it was still a lose lose.
I respect him coming clean, admiting he was wrong, and giving his reasons (not really an ‘excuse’ imo.)
bullshit reason. At least he’s up front and took the punishment like a man.
I thought he was allowed to corner his fighters during the suspension period. In a past article, it said that he made a big plea to corner his guys and they had complied with it. I guess that changed.
[quote comment=”129091″]I thought he was allowed to corner his fighters during the suspension period. In a past article, it said that he made a big plea to corner his guys and they had complied with it. I guess that changed.[/quote]
I think he is allowed in Calif. — not Vegas. Sorry for not making that more clear.
that sucks for pellegrino, he could use hermes in his corner next weekend, this is the biggest fight of his career for crying out loud
It’s AMAZING how judgemental people are on this forum and all others on the net. Tell us…tell us please! How can I be a better person Mr. Perfect Wonderful!!!???
[quote comment=”129098″][quote comment=”129091″]I thought he was allowed to corner his fighters during the suspension period. In a past article, it said that he made a big plea to corner his guys and they had complied with it. I guess that changed.[/quote]
I think he is allowed in Calif. — not Vegas. Sorry for not making that more clear.[/quote]
He’s not allowed to corner in either. He’s under suspension in California and because of a new law that allows state athletic commissions to recognize the punishments handed out in other states, he’s banned from cornering in Vegas, too.
[quote comment=”129123″][quote comment=”129098″][quote comment=”129091″]I thought he was allowed to corner his fighters during the suspension period. In a past article, it said that he made a big plea to corner his guys and they had complied with it. I guess that changed.[/quote]
I think he is allowed in Calif. — not Vegas. Sorry for not making that more clear.[/quote]
He’s not allowed to corner in either. He’s under suspension in California and because of a new law that allows state athletic commissions to recognize the punishments handed out in other states, he’s banned from cornering in Vegas, too.[/quote]
Working on weekends? Holy shit.
Thanks for clearing it up, Squabbles.
[quote comment=”129054″]Do not think that he should be banned from cornering his fighters. Now his fighters are being punished not him, and thats not right. Kurt pellegrino has to go into the biggest fight of his life without his teacher, and cornerman(is that fair?)[/quote]
Yeah too right, that just punishes the fighters.
please people life isn’t fair, and hermes took that chance of being booted for a year, as for kurt tough shit he should be pissed at hermes for his so called “thought it would heal my ankle faster”.
[quote comment=”129054″]I am so against steroids. But I also don’t think its fair that a fighter can loose a title fight because of an injury. It happened to Karo, he was supposed to fight matt hughes a while back, then got hurt, and was never given a shot at the title again. I dont think thats fair. A fighter cant control injuries and should not be punished for being hurt. I hate cheaters, but if dana would change his ways, I believe Franca would never have used the roids. A cheat is a cheat, but come on, what would u do if your career(and livelyhhod) were on the line, because u got hurt. Cheating isnt fair, but neither is the position that Dana put Franca in. Gotta respect him being stand up about it, and taking his punishment like a man.
Do not think that he should be banned from cornering his fighters. Now his fighters are being punished not him, and thats not right. Kurt pellegrino has to go into the biggest fight of his life without his teacher, and cornerman(is that fair?)[/quote]
HERMES DID THIS TO HIMSELF, NOT DANA.
Kurt Pellegrino’s interview on the UFC’s website, and I would like to say that half of that is Bullshit!!!!!!!! Not to sound like an ass, but he’s nothing but a liar when it comes to his family. First of all I would like to start off by saying that his Mom and Dad has supported him all the way. They just found it hard to see their son get punched, kicked and knocked around, any parent would. They wanted him to complete college so if the fighting thing didn’t work out that he would have something to fall back on, my god is that so bad? He threw his family under the bus. Also his parents went to more then one of his fights which took place in Atlantic City, so when he says they weren’t there he’s again lying…… Also when he talks about how his parents didn’t talk to him for two years???? I’d like to know when that happened!!! He was living with his parents back in ‘ 04 when he and Melissa broke up and he started seeing Laura D’ Aguste in which he dated for a few months, then he and Melissa got back together and than moved to Fla. It was his family that was there for him during those hard times. And as for the part were he says his parents didn’t talk to him for two years, WRONG!!!! it was him and it was maybe for a month or two because he wanted $12,000 for a wedding gift so he could put it as a down payment on a house and his parents refused, which pissed him off to the point where he stopped talking to them. His parents are’nt allowed to be mad at Kurt not sweet little Kurt, because he will make you pay the price which is he won’t talk to you. As for his Brother, which he also threw under the bus, hummmmmm, well he’s again lying. He is telling the truth about them not talking, but it hasn’t been for three years, it’s been and off and off thing. I know for a fact that he and Melissa celebrated Christmas with Anthony and his family back in ‘ 04. When these two try and talk on the phone or something, they both want apologies from one another for how they’ve treated each other while growing up. They’re are both innocent lol…..That’s not going to happen… As for the Wedding issue and the Christening, Anthony and his family wasn’t invited to either one. Well, that’s not true, for the wedding after his mom begged a pleaded for him to invite his brother to the wedding, yes he was invited 29 days before, I’mmmmmm who the hell would want to go to a wedding when the invite comes 29 days before, and who would want to go knowing that your not wanted there… Also as for the Christening, his brother again was not invited nor did he ever hear about the event, so how could he and his family have gone to either one???? Kurt should be ashamed of himself for not giving you the whole story. It’s Hurtful, disrespectful and humiliating. I’m not writing this to you to post anywhere or to get out, I just want you to know the truth and to let you know that his family is not a piece of shit.. As for Melissa, what kind of wife is she to stand by and let Kurt treat his family this way????? Kurt isn’t all that he cracks up to be, he is not innocent.
I’m happy that hermes won’t be conering poor little kurtie, karma as hermes would say, it’s a bitch. Can’t to see the bloodshed.
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Man I really liked Franca.I don’t know why these guys keep doing this.It doesn’t get u anywhere.
holy crap, how the hell you know so much about kurt pellegono?
*pelligrino
[quote comment=”129422″]*pelligrino[/quote]
it’s pellegrino, i just do
WOW, Kurt’s Bitch, how long have you been stalking ‘Batman’ for? Holy crap. I don’t even know that much information about my own family!
I still dont think that #1 contenders should loose their title fights due to injuries. Ok, sherk didnt fight for almost a year and they needed him to defend his title. So let the #2 contender fight sherk and then Hermes should have been next in line for a title shot. Unfortunatley, who knows how long Hermes would have had to wait for a title shot? Karo is still waiting. A title fight is everything to a fighter, and especially to a LW fighter, who generally get paid less then all other fighters.
All I am saying is that maybe if Dana would pay fighters more, and if Dana didnt cause fighters to loose title shots due to injuries…. This might have been avoided.
Some fighters have families, and struggle financially (Hermes)
and its unfortunate, especially when a man is a full time fighter.
I despise steroids, but how many of u can say for sure what u would have done if u were in Hermes shoes. He was between a rock and a hard place. I do not look down on hermes like I do other cheaters like Tim Sylvia, who supposedly did roids to get a 6 pack.
Tim Sylvia, stop worrying about trying to Bring Sexy Back, and Try fighting like u did 3 years ago.
[quote comment=”130107″]WOW, Kurt’s Bitch, how long have you been stalking ‘Batman’ for? Holy crap. I don’t even know that much information about my own family![/quote]
stalking, these are just the facts. please.