Chris Leben tests positive for steroids and is suspended for nine months after UFC 89 loss
By: MMAmania
Chris Leben has tested positive for the performance-enhancing illegal steroid known as Stanazolol in the wake of his unanimous decision loss to Michael Bisping in the main event at UFC 89: “Leben vs. Bisping” at The National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham, England, on October 18.
As a result “The Crippler” will be suspended for nine months and fined one-third of his fight purse. The earliest he can compete again inside the Octagon is August 2009.
It’s the latest in a string of setbacks for Leben who has battled with alcohol for more than 15 years. He served a prison sentence earlier this year for an old Driving Under the Influence (DUI) probation violation in Portland, Ore., to ensure that he would be cleared to leave the United States to fight “The Count.”
Clearly, he’s not happy with himself after declaring major progress in his personal and professional lives, according to a statement release via UFC.com.
Here’s a snip:
“I’ve really done everything I can to turn my life around, and this is a huge setback for me, but it is something I will have to deal with. During my time off from fighting, I want to speak to kids about the dangers of using performance enhancing agents and let them know it just doesn’t get you ahead in life. Of course this is a hard hit for me monetarily, but more so this is embarrassing for me and for all of my fans. I apologize to the UFC and everyone who supported me in my fight in England. I hope to work through this and get back to fighting soon.”
UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner — who is also the former Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) executive director — is the man responsible for administering the tests because their are no official regulatory bodies overseas that can monitor the process.
Therefore, kudos to the organization for policing itself and making the results public … it was certainly under no obligation to be so forthcoming.
The report indicates that the “remaining 21 fighters on the UFC 89 card all passed their pre and post fight drug tests.”
140 Comments »
wow i guess we know how he got in such good shape for that fight eh?
gotta loe this picture lol, jerk off session
lMAO..sh*t is funny
UFC taking its own steriod test on its fighters is kinda being biased. There should be a commision over in U.K to administer the tests
if they were biased, they probably would’nt have tested at all. and leben is pretty popular, so if biased, why would they even announce it.
Very Sad, I remember that video van ride for TUF 1 members and the guys were hinting about Thiago Silva being on steroids… difficult to imagine what Leban was thinking about at that time. Leban went from quiting drinking to using steroids… man.. what a shame… well if Stephan Bonner can make a comeback I suppose Leban can as well, but it’s going to take sometime.
Sad News. I went from hating the guy to liking him and now feeling kinda’ disgusted from the whole.. life changing attitude, Leban was presenting… I admit I fell for it.
Thorazine. Great post! I feel the same way. I am one of the bloggers who praised him for his new found conditioning and work habit and it was all a lie! The three stooges (Kos leben and Sanchez were rippin my boy Alves…last I checked, Alves’s piss was totally clean when he gave Kos the beating of his life!
Hi Hater!
LMAO…ok ok John…good post.
Yeah, John I felt I got conned’.. I bet Leban’s head is spinning, he has to come down from that mental plateau he was on.. to asking for forgiveness from his students at ICON and fans… getting beat by Bisping doesn’t compare to the shame he should be going through at this moment. I wouldn’t be surpised if he goes on a drinking binge for awhile.
well john, I was one of the guys saying he was a class A douche who didn’t change, wouldn’t have turned himself in if it wasn’t for needing to leave the country and basically was a loser. He got all “holy” and said he’d been sober for the whole training camp, all I got to say is FUCK YOU! You weren’t sober, you stopped drinking, and started doing something else to make you feel good. Any ignorant person who would like to debate this, be my guest, but do the research first! He juiced, he lost, karma is a good thing~!
hopefully he don’t wouldn’t want to wish that on the guy. HOpefully he will get clean and be back.
John, you freakin love Alves. You pick him every fight, and I admit it you were right every fight. I of course, picked against him in the Karo fight, in the Hughes fight, and in the Koscheck fight. Damn you John you’ve outsmarted me again.
wow, I feel let down as a fan…guess he has some self esteem issues
You know that if Bisping tested positive, they woulda thrown those results away quicker than it took for Leben to stick a needle in his ass. Then again, they probably CHOSE not to test Bisping, since the UFC was in CHARGE of testing
Dont worry DB, I have been messing up on many of my predictions lately, but not Alves! I truly believe he is going to be one of the greats! He is like 24 years old. I read an interview with him yesterday where he officially said that he cuts down to 171 lbs and the day of the fight weight 198! THats a BEAST of a welterweight!
Ever since he fought Chris Lytle last febuary in what I thought was the fight of the year accept for the unfortunate stoppage, I knew this kid was the real deal. Now he is improving on his takedown defense, he will be very tough to beat!
I have been betting big (by my standards) on alves since the Lytle fight and he has made me some nice money!
Yeah, I love that kid!
hahaha
my question is to anonymous f*ck… how is it biased? I commend the UFC for testing when no law said they had too. Biased would have been turning the other cheek. Hey Leben, guess that ride in the car when you were wondering is Alves had juiced is just another time you should have shut the fuck up. How many days until Leban is out here saying it’s a false positive??
When Chris “the Crippler” aka “Satan Incarnate” walked into the ring against Bisping, he looked as though he had perscription underwear on or something. He was smiling like he was on acid. The dude really f*cked himself this time. At least he copped to it. I am surprised he was getting them while @ BJ’s camp? BJ blasted Sherk for his drug use. I am curious as to how this will affect their relationship. I won $500 on his last fight, I woulda been pissed if he won.
He trans at Icon Fitness, not at BJ’s
This really disappoints me.
Wait…..if the UFC suspended him, then they must have known before the fight. They prolly let him fight so that they wouldnt have to find a last minute replacement. The UFC legit?? i dunno…..
huh? they tested after the fact… why would they test before? that is generally done to guys who have pooped before!
Every body poops Kevin.
“everybody”
lol, I noticed it as I was hitting enter, but it was too late, obviously spell check didn’t pick it up
*POPPED*
who you guys like tonight?
washington/over!
THAT would be a LOSER (referring to football pick)
How disappointing…that he got caught.
Most athletes use roids.
I am not going to come down on him too hard.
We ask these modern day gladiators to sacrifice their bodies for our entertainmnet.
EVERYBODY cheats.
I still enjoy watching Sherk, Alves, Leben, etc.
WOW, I can’t believe the number of guys saying juicing isn’t cheating. how many people hit 60 home runs this year?
I won another poke tournament today guys!
Leben just got bounced off my “favorite fighters” list. No respect for anyone that does that stuff.
oooooh man…. everyone was saying how good he looked, and now we know why..
Gutted Leben, no wonder he looked ripped.
exactly. he got that “ripped” look for all the wrong reasons. i have to admit that i am shocked though and disappointed.
VERY, VERY DISSAPOINTED……
How about the B sample? And doesn’t he have high levels to begin with? (poke at Sherk…)
Maybe Roy Nelson was right, that about 70% of fighters are doing steroids
if thats the case, and almost everyone is using some sort of performance enhancer, then how is it cheating? i think nelson is jelous imo.
IMO steroids is not cheating. Its not like taking roids is going to make you better a jj, wrestling or a better striker! Its only considered cheating because its illegal. I dont think they should use it because of the health risk.
yeah, but when nelson throws out a blanket statement like %70 are using, wich %70 is he talking about? the ones that dont look like him? steroids does help in the recovery process from injuries as well, so that could be an unfair advantage. it appears on the surface that steroids didnt help leben since he lost, but who knows? i agree that the long term health risks are not worth it.
Agreed JV, roids don’t make you a better fighter. Also adding muscle mass robs you of speed and cardio.
“The ones that dont look like him” LMAO! Thats almost every single fighter.
Also, its kind of funny that the one that resembles him the most is the best…. Fedor. Guarantee fedor isn’t failing any tests soon.
Last time Fedor had his piss tested it came back as ACID! The guy is not even human!
LMAO
Joe Stevenson on Florian-”I Don’t Know What He Thinks He Can Do”-Source
UFC® : Ultimate Fighting Championship®
He doesnt think Kenny has a chance.
“He talks about finishing fights,” Stevenson, who has stopped four out of his last six opponents, said. “That upsets me. If you look at my record, I finish fights and I finish good people. Maybe I should have been more vocal like him. But it gets on your nerves to hear him say that. He can’t knock me out. He can’t submit me. I don’t know what he thinks he can do.”
“I’m going to have to take Kenny out. He likes to say that he finishes fights, but who has he finished? I finish fights. Look at my record, I finish fights.”
He doesnt like the negative stuff hes reading on the internet.
Maybe your right about him not being human john, cause he does look like a hobit!
“Its not like taking roids is going to make you better a jj, wrestling or a better striker!”
JV, these are the same comments made about Barry Bonds and company. Seen anyone hit 75 dingers lately? The reason is that steroids help you increase your fast twitch muscle, so they can help you hit a home run or knock someone out.
BobC u are correct, not that I know alot about steroids but I know enough… winstrol or something like that would probably be the steroid choice for MMA fighters I imagine, makes athletes very explosive and lean.
BobC so if I take steroids I can hit 75 homeruns, or Knock some people out? Well knocking people out, Im already good at that! Its not a miracle drug that turns you into a monster at what you do. You still have to work at it right? Are any of the guys that have been busted, these unstoppable fighters?
All the guys that say steroids aren’t cheating or they don’t make you a better fighter, don’t know jack shit about steroids. “Also adding muscle mass robs you of speed and cardio”. Not exactly, where do you think speed comes from? MUSCLE. Did Ben Jonhson run slower when he juiced? NO, he ran faster and he was MORE musclular than Carl Lewis. Why do you think athletes take such a huge risk of getting caught by taking them? It’s because they WORK, especially in fighting. Steroids MAKE you bigger, stronger, faster, more mentally confident and most importantly, they VASTLY speed up recovery times. Since when are these things not an asset to a fighter. JV, you’re right, the guys who have been busted aren’t unstoppable fighters, because unstoppable fighters don’t need to juice. That’s not to say steroids don’t increase performance, because plain and simple, they DO.
think about it … if there wasn’t a advantage to gain in taking steroids, nobody would use it … there is a reason they are illegal and there is a reason that they are not allowed in sporting events … its not like they sit around and decide to take steroids for the side effects, and anybody who believes that steroids does not give an athlete a distinct advantage for any sport does not know how the human body works and the physiology behind it
thorazine: I also believe that the steropid of choice for mma fighters is probably Winstrol….good call!
especially since it’s a water base, so it doesnt stay in your system as long as the oil based ones. You also lose water weight.
Definitely dont want to hear anymore of this evolution of a fighter trash. What an ass.
Yea kinda makes me wonder what the students at his school think of “coach chris” now
TJ Thompson is selling Icon Sports gym so I doubt he’ll stick around there. I wonder if he’ll fall off the wagon again.
I guess that might help to explain why he was so cut for a change.
Man that is gonna hurt his career with the UFC. Just when it looked like he was getting is life together this happens. Chris continues to walk the rocky road he sets for himself. Too bad, that was a stupid thing to do, especially when you know you are going to be tested!
Well, a new chapter in his life….I thought he was better than that.
Thiago Alves should be next
man. one of my favorite fighters… such a shame
Lesnar are you paying attention?
Dummy.
gotta love when guys cheat and still dont win
Dito!
Has anyone noticed a pettern that usually the dopers are losers. The only exception i can immediately think of is big foot. sherk doesn’t count cause his opponent was doping as well.
Kudos to UFC for keeping the sport legit. Remember, no commission in the UK… the UFC suspended him on their own initiative. Frankly, that’s super impressive.
good point!
for real. Props to the UFC
Very good point. I wasn’t aware that there is no commission in the UK. I wonder why it took so long for the results to come back? Does it always take this long? I can’t remember.
Yeah Ryan that is what was up with the Alves thing….. Looking absolutely huge in London and then not so huge vs. Kos. Not saying he took them but that is where suspicion comes into play.
what about when dirty sanchez popped for mary J and they played it off as he was still undefeated going into his next fight
although I dont feel marajuana is a performance enhancing drug but joe roegan does
Advise for Leben…….do your time, stay off the juice, and return at what should be your natural weight class….170 pds.
that sucksss….never really been a big fan of leben….but it looked like he was starting to get his life in order….guess not,that really sucks
I’m disappointed to hear this since I’ve always liked Leben, especially when it seemed he had turned his life around. This also presents a bad image of the UFC with one of their main event headliners testing positive for steroids. The only person I see this being good for is Michael Bisping who’s win is even more impressive since Leben was using steroids.
Well, he had me fooled, I thought he got sobre, and in shape w/o the substance abuse. O well, I guess my screen name describes his situation best at this point..
i dont know anything about the juice. is it something he’s gunna try and fight or is he just flat out busted?
Not one of his better ideas
That’s true, and it’s not like he has a real short list of bad ideas.
Let’s give the guy the benefit of the doubt first. Remember innocent until proven guilty. His physical change, however, did look pretty drastic. I don’t want to assume though, we’ve seen that his training regimen and work ethic changed drastically as well.
I find it odd that it states the test was administered by the UFC. I thought it was the athletic commissions that ran these tests. Does the UFC run it’s own independent test as well?
He got the benefit of the doubt when everyone was marveling over his ripped new physique, but that benefit is gone with a positive test. And the UFC does not administer thetests themselves. They use independent medical labs.
Just like any job – a company can do random drug tests IF UNDER SUSPISION. Its standard practice nowdays i think
WHAT AN IDIOT
BUT IN GOOD NEWS
JOHN ALESSIO VS PAUL DALEY in MFC no date that Ive heard but John has said he wants to SLUG!!!!!!!! sssssick
nighty night Alessio in my opinion. Semtex has some good standup
This isn’t that surprising to me…
I like Chris a lot and this is defintely a let down but I would suspect that a lot of Pro Athletes (not just MMA, not just Pride) cycle off and on the roids to prevent being caught. I am sure over the years people have came up with a system to beat / avoid these tests. I know a lot of commissions are starting surprise tests which are a good thing. Lets see who is next!
There really isn’t a complex system behind this. It’s really not that hard to figure out, it’s the fact that whomever is giving this guys advice as to the proper half-life and detection times are morons. The only way to get around it is surprise testing, otherwise I could take juice whenever I wanted just as long as I knew the time I was being tested I could pass it.
Brock is not on steroids anymore – he looks oh so chubby compared to his WWE days.
Leben = disgrace; all this talk about reforming himself, then steroids, PUNK
Brock doesn’t need roids anyway, look at that guy..
That’s what I’ve been saying.
you guys do know this a weight cutting steriod not a anabolic one?
not really a performance inhancing steriod.
if it’s for weight cutting it may not be performance enhancing, but it’s still performance enabling. Without it he might not have been able to make weight for the fight which gives him a competitive edge.
Dude, it’s the same thing as Winstrol V. That’s very performance enhancing and anabolic as hell. It makes you strong as hell and ripped.
Ben Johnson 100 meter runner was one of the Winstrol users and got caught and stripped of his gold medal… boost strength as well as act as a weight cutter, it does not have an estrogen effect as other steroids do.
Thats still cutting a lot of fat and putting on a lot of muscle to compensate to fight at the same weight, and where can I get some of that? lol
Acutually nevermind, here’s what I found on Winstrol
“It is a popular all purpose steroid; many stack with Primobolan for cutting, others stack it with testosterone for size and strength gains. Users report that the muscle gains they make are solid, they are well retained after the drug use is discontinued.”
found it here
http://www.1anabolic-steroids.com/winstrol.htm
Dude, that sucks. I’ve always been a leban fan. Still am, but now you gotta wonder about all his fights.
Ive been reading on mania for a long ass time now but never posted but i couldnt pass this one up….was it him diego or kos that said something sarcastic about wondering how alves got so big in that video with them three in the van?
Haha that would be funny if it was Leben. good point I remember that
No wonder he looked so ripped, I was surprised he looked like that but now I know.
Just to address several comments made above – samples when gathered are split into A and B samples.
If the A sample fails, the B sample is tested to back up the first finding.
This is done by a different lab, but the second lab doesn’t know the outcome of sample A. They just know to look for something. If they also find a doping violation, it confirms the A sample and the doper is busted.
This is time-consuming and a possible explanation for the delay in the news.
Given that the UFC fined and suspended the “Icon”, it is likely they have a positive B sample and enough to do whatever they want to Leben.
I am unsure of the legalities of the situation, but steroids are controlled substances in most countries and Leben could have opened himself up to prosecutors in the UK.
I find it ironic I’ve written so much about a fighter I despise. Good riddance dumbass.
Figures. Leben looked cut and lean.
Notice the much different look than Alves?
Thiago uses a much higher andro quotient.
High andro lets these guys train harder (nearly non-stop), gives them off the chart focus (roid rage) and rebuilds/recoops muscle 10x quicker. They make huge muscle gains.
Low andro is highly diuretic for weight loss, toning and defining.
That is why they use the andro bulk up long term and start to lighten up with Stanozolol and cycle off toward the beginning of camp.
Long on his cycle sounds like. Stanozolol or Winstrol is a highly diuretic anabolic usually taken as an oral stacker, so he was probably sticking something else. Men generally stack orals or stick Stan while women use it straight up and almost exclusively as an oral. It’s no wonder he looked so lean. If this had been a commission test, he might have been positive for another anabolic as well.
I would guess:
1. Leben thought since it was in GB that he would not have to test.
2. Leben was oral stacking Stan and overshot his cycle or would have tested for multiple anabolics.
3. Leben was using another anabolic and switched to Stan to cut water and overshot his cycle.
BISPING BEAT A STEROID MACHINE!!!
“I’ve really done everything I can to turn my life around,” said Leben.
“And this is a huge setback for me. But it’s something I will have to deal with. During my time off from fighting, I want to speak to kids about the dangers of using performance enhancing agents and let them know it just doesn’t get you ahead in life. Of course, this is a hard hit for me monetarily, but more so this is embarrassing for me and for all my fans.”
Chris’s statement!!! Thats pretty much saying um yea I am guilty
Where did you find his statement?
Cage Potato
TY LANE… nice find.
Leben – please stay away from the kids!
that sux…roids are never ending in any sport..it is a shame…
He was on the juice but Bisping still mashed his face up. War bisping!
shame shame shame
It does show something about Leben, thats for sure. One thing I cant stand, is when people have no problem lying straight to your face. I know, that I never talked to him personally, but I feel it is still the same thing. If he can boldly lie to everyone in the MMA community, like he did, then he can do much worse. That really sucks. I was just starting to like Leben. He showed alot of heart against Bisping. He got pelted for 3 rounds straight and was a gentlemen after the fight. Its just too bad that he can be so fake.
HAHA!! I guess that’s the “Making of an Icon”. The best part about seeing these guys’ get caught is the fact that during the “Countdown to UFC” shows always portray them as underdogs that rise above the rest…….with a little help from Jose Canseco and Mark Maguire.
Chris Leben should do a “Scared Straight” to kids affected by pot, steroids, AWOL, and overall running from the police….he’ll be a great role model.
Introvert I read the statement at Cage Potato.
What a moron!
lane, is that really leben’s statement?
i haaate when people cheat!!! especially if the result of the cheating means that someone else could be physically injured. its one thing to take steroids for racing, its quit another for a fighter to take them.
for all of you that think that steroids aren’t performance enhancing or an unfair advantage, please wake up. i hope the ufc continues to clean up their fighters. the playing field should be level. clean fighters shouldnt have to worry about stepping into the cage with a cheating opponent.
im all for suprise testing year round. if a fighter has an active contract with the ufc, then they should be suprised tested at any point during that contract. more props to bisping for tooling him.
im waiting to hear his side, but how disappointing.
Yep, they have to test randomly when they won’t expect it (no time to get your “clean” buddy to piss in a bladder and hide it in your shorts. I don’t know how the UFC goes about collecting the piss samples, but if they don’t make sure that guys dick is in that cup, it can and has been beat before. For a few dollars a cheater can buy a little device, made to beat the test.
Even on steriods he counldn’t beat Bisping. Bisping is the next champ, Silva just keeping the belt warm
Leben better watch his back BJ Penn is after guys using.LOL.
man oh man. this news sux. next thing your gonna tell me is that Michael Jackson is a pedophile. Or that Kimbo Slice is the greatest.
Surprise sur fudging prise. Loads of them are on it, it disgusts me.
This makes Lebens trash look even more idiotic! Like when he said A.Silva would go back somewhere the fighting was easier – like Japan! What a tool, good riddance.
I think Leben has been hit to many times in the head. How many times do these p$$cks need to be told. They should kick him out.
It is just like Thiago Alves – they should have let him go. Makes me sick and puts me off their fights.
1st offense should be 9 months -1 year
lifetime ban after that.
use the juice once shame on you
use it twice and I let you fight some more…shame on Dana.
Dana White loves the sport of mma, he will not let someone repeatedly fail drug tests and keep them, he’s “sidelined” guys for less!
I couldn’t agree more Kevin. A lifetime ban for a second offence should deter those cheaters. They should consider themselves very lucky to get a second chance.
Unfortunately many of these cheats are still flying under the radar. The chemists are always one step ahead of the testers. Remember THG, an anonymous tipster had to secretly hand in a sample so they could create a test for it.
THE EVOLUTION OF A STEROID PAPER CHAMPION, am I right?
At least he freaking admits it. I’m sick of athletes who blame their trainers, their supplements, their pool boy, the air they breathe. Sean Sherk, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, hell that dumb ass Marion Jones lied about it. I’m sick of this crap. Athletes get paid millions and lie no big freaking deal but if I get caught with a dub sack it’s off to the slammer I go.
Chris sucks for doing it, but he’s the only one who has stepped up and said he screwed up. Way to be a man.
i feel sorry for the guy and am pleased to see him man up rather than deny like certain others have done
a shortish ban for first offence of say 6 months would be pretty fair
doesnt hurt the guy but makes them think seriously about doing it a second time as they are now a marked man
and say they had taken tainted supplements, it would mean theyd be extra careful, also it would be fair to require they are tested once a month from that point on with testing at random dates
i wouldnt want to see mma turn into a freak show where it becomes a science experiment and they pump themselves full of stuff that causes long term damage
at the same time there needs to be more research done into performance enhancers and the basis on which stuff is ruled illegal
fighters have hinted there is stuff out there which enables you to heal an injury in a fraction of the time
i have no idea about the associated risks, but if they are minimal then it is crazy to not allow it,
Should have got a designer version of HGH like the rest of the professional athletes, it was undetectable even in the olympics.
Rookie mistake.
if you aint cheatin you ain’t tryin
Whats suprising me the most is on this thread is only 3 posts so far (114 at present) have mentioned that a clean Bisping beat a juiced Leben. Where are all the Leben nut huggers who where predicting a KO as he looked so ripped? How great is your boy now?
Bisping is not a contender in MW division but his opponent in the main event of the night cheats with the knowledge he should get away with it as it was a UK event. F*ck that sh*t, throw this loser out of the sport now.
A lot of cats were starting to respect Leben & this fucko messes it up. What a loser.
Give bisping his props
doesnt this violate lebens probation?
props to bisping, he smashed that cheat, yeah thats what you get for cheating Leben, you get smashed up by Bisping!
We might soon see Leben on an episode of dog the bounty hunter getting chased around, getting caught, getting his meth pipe took off him and be made to stamp on it, then get one of the dogs lectures and patheticly burst into tears on national TV. Such a shame.
what an idiot.
Steroid use is just an admission to yourself and the world that you cannot compete with your peers. Plain and simple!
I think we need a better understanding of steriods. I think fighters should be allowed to use them. For burn victims-miricale drug, aids patients miricale drug. But for a fighter CHEATING. Watch bigger Faster Stronger, you will get an inside look of how they they are almost harmless.
mayve he just want to surprise all people by his different figure, becasue he was the main event on the card.. but still a shame..
he was stupid for doing his cycle so close to the fight, steroids from what i understand have about a week half life in your body. Im sure lots of fighters do em, especially those in other countries where they are easier to get, too many benifits to pass up, increased strenght, faster recovery, muscle endurance and the extra anger to drive your training.
big respect for bisping,
and to all the people saying they feel sorry for leben “why” he knew what he was doing the guys a fukin dick not only is he on the juice hes a loud mouth prik never been a fan and never will be
Well, all I can say is seeing how he likes to paint his fingernails black, he must have something badly wrong with him. I liked his braids look, too bad they were fake too.