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UFC says ex-champ Anderson Silva tests positive for steroids

Middleweight Anderson Silva takes a private moment on the canvass after beating Nick Diaz in their fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Sun/LE Baskow) Middleweight Anderson Silva takes a private moment on the canvass after beating Nick Diaz in their fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Sun/LE Baskow)

By Associated Press February 3, 2015 1 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The UFC says former middleweight champion Anderson Silva has tested positive for steroid use.

The promotion announced the results of Silva’s test Tuesday night.

Silva tested positive for Drostanolone metabolites in an out-of-competition test Jan. 9, according to the Nevada Athletic Commission. The UFC says the commission is doing further testing to confirm the results.

Silva (34-6) beat Nick Diaz by unanimous decision at UFC 183 last Saturday in Las Vegas. The fight was Silva’s return to the cage for the first time in 13 months after badly breaking his leg.

The 39-year-old Silva is considered one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the sport’s history. He won 10 consecutive title defenses over seven years as the UFC’s 185-pound champion until losing the belt to Chris Weidman in 2013.