Anderson Silva: My Medical Team Working ‘Very Closely’ with USADA Regarding Failed Drug Test

Anderson Silva has delivered another social media message following his recent anti-doping violation, this time hinting that he might not be at fault for the failed drug test that lead to his removal from UFC Fight Night 122.

“Thank you so much for all of the support you have shown me over the past week. This means a lot to both my family and I…I just want to keep you updated on what’s going on now,” Silva wrote on Twitter. “My medical team is working very closely with USADA to find out the reason for my suspension of UFC SHANGHAI… hopefully we will get more news very soon. I have been fighting for the past 20 years and always try to be an example to my fans and to my sport ….

“Again, I want to thank all of you for your support and hope to see you soon for my next fight…”

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— Anderson Silva (@SpiderAnderson) November 16, 2017

Silva was pulled from a proposed headlining bout against Kelvin Gastelum after testing positive in an out-of-competition sample collected on Oct. 26. As a result, Michael Bisping was tabbed to replace “The Spider” against Gatelum in the Nov. 25 bout.

Silva’s initial social media post did not deny the failed test directly. Instead, the 42-year-old Brazilian expressed sadness and thanked his fans before vowing “I will not give up, much less stop doing what I love, not because fame or money, it’s because I love to fight.”

Silva previously tested positive for two different anabolic steroids -- drostanolone metabolites and androstane -- prior to a January 2015 bout against Nick Diaz at UFC 183. He also tested positive for oxazepam, an anxiety medication, and temazepam, an anti-insomnia medication, in a post-fight drug test, along with drostanolone metabolites again. Silva claimed that a tainted sexual enhancement pill resulted in the positive test, but he was still suspended one year by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

The former middleweight champion last competed at UFC 208 on Feb. 11, when he took a contentious unanimous decision against Derek Brunson.