UFC News & Notes: Nakamura tests positive; surgery for Shogun; Jensen to replace Eastman
September 27, 2007 by Sam Caplan
As I’m sure you’ve all heard by now, Kazuhiro Nakamura tested positive for marijuana following his loss at UFC 76 to Lyoto Machida. He’s been fined and suspended three months by the California State Athletic Commission. Man, could this whole Pride thing get any worse?
The marijuana positive still doesn’t explain the umbrella. I know that was his deal in Pride but it seemed even more out of place in the UFC. Does CSAC test for LSD?
Seriously though, I still think it’s rather silly that some commissions test for marijuana. I don’t smoke it (only because I’m already a paranoid person to begin with and I also hate cottonmouth) but even someone like me who has no use for it believes it should be legal.
Also, it doesn’t look like the results are back yet for the performance enhancers. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Other notes:
- Brazilian website Gazeta De Povo is reporting that Mauricio “Shogun” Rua had ligament damage in his knee leading up to his UFC 76 bout with Forrest Griffin and that it limited his ability to train. According to the report, Shogun will be undergoing surgery this Friday. He doesn’t expect to resume training until late-January or early-February.
So let me see, Forrest Griffin says he won’t be ready for Dec. 29; Rampage has a hand injury that could prevent him from fighting again in ‘07; and now Shogun is on the shelf? What does that leave as far as big light heavyweight fights for UFC 79? You could go Chuck Liddell vs. Houston Alexander and Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva? Or, you could go Houston Alexander vs. Keith Jardine II and Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell! I’m being serious, I think all these injuries could force the UFC to make a Silva vs. Liddell match for UFC 79.
- UFCDaily.com is reporting that Heath Herring plans to return to UFC action after some time off by early-2008.
- MMAJunkie.com broke the news on Wednesday that Ryan Jensen will be replacing an injured Marvin Eastman against Demian Maia at UFC 77 in Cincinnati on Oct. 20. It’s an Adam Morgan dream match from what I hear and the reason why he’s buying tickets to the show.
This card sucks balls outside of Vera/Sylvia and Franklin/Silva.
Is it just me or does it seem funny that everytime someone loses they now have some type of injury? Cro Cop, Shogun, Hammil? Just wondering?
shogun did not look like himself for sure. he did not really even look like a muay thai fighter in there, but with a serious knee injury he couldn’t.
i don’t blame him for not pulling out of the fight, however. he got married, probably spent a bunch of money, and had to fight to put food on the table.
many fighters fight hurt, this one lost though. i don’t see him as the type to make excuses and thats probably why he disguised his injury and pretended to be an over the hill boxer. that and he needed the paycheck.