Chael Sonnen Drug Test Positive; Out of UFC 175

Mixed martial arts fighter Chael Sonnen may have to say goodbye to UFC 175 for now after testing positive in a random drug test administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission during a UFC press conference last month.

The 37-year-old fighter tested positive for two banned substances: Anastrozole and Clomiphene, anti-estrogen drugs usually given to women although men also take these substances to help in normal testosterone production.

In a radio interview with Fox Sports before the results were released to the public, Sonnen said he wanted to tell his side of the story and how he ended up taking the two illegal drugs.

Sonnen explained that his drug intake started when the Nevada commision banned testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). This is the medication he underwent to treat his hypogonadism, a condition where a male body does not produce enough testosterone.

According to Fox Sports, the anti-estrogen drugs helped Sonnen rebuild his body "naturally" after taking synthetic testosterone.

"These are not secrets that I took these substances. This is what you have to take if you're coming off testosterone.  At any rate, it was picked up on the test.  Now, they can handle it however they want. They can look at it and go 'this makes sense to us' or they can say 'we don't like this'.  They can do either one, they're the commission," Sonnen explained to Fox Sports.

He also added that it was tough for him to choose between health and sports.

"It's very tough for me too because I was very upfront about this in a number of interviews about what I've done," he added.

He also noted in his interview that he took the drugs while he did not have booked fights in the UFC. The new drug protocol, according to him, was his defense against his body's natural reaction to not having testosterone injections.

Fox Sports also revealed that synthetic testosterone can eventually lead to the human body's inability to produce the correct amount of natural testosterone.

UFC light heavyweight Sonnen told ESPN that he will appeal the test results based on his belief that the two prohibited drugs were only banned during the competition. The World Anti-Doping Agency, however, claimed that the susbtances were prohibited "at all times."

"If this was game day, I'm not making any statements that I'm making today," Sonnen told ESPN.

Dana White, UFC president also said in an interview with ESPN that she is not "shocked" with Sonnen's positive drug result.

"This stuff has been legal. TRT was legal. Now the (NSAC) said it's illegal. Now it's got to go away, but there's going to be side effects of stopping this thing cold turkey. It just doesn't work that way," she added.

ESPN has also reported that Sonnen's fight with Vitor Belfor on July 5 will no longer push through.