This is your quick source to find out happenings in the world of mixed martial arts. This blog will provide up to date info, news and notes as it happens.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Hermes Franca Arrested on DUI Charge

UFC lightweight Hermes Franca was arrested early Thursday in Jupiter, Florida for driving-under-the-influence.

The 34-year-old was booked at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office at 2:38am and released at 10:10am. He was charged with “Traffic Offense-DUI Alcohol or Drugs 1st Offense.”

Hours before the arrest Franca, who lives in Jupiter, attended WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Chris Leben Fails Drug Test, Suspended 9 Months

Chris Leben has tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanazolol following his loss to Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC 89 on October 18 in Birmingham, England.

Dave Meltzer of Yahoo! Sports reports that Leben has been suspended for nine months and fined one-third of his purse for the positive test.

“I am obviously disappointed with Chris, who has made great strides getting his life back on track,” UFC president Dana White said to Yahoo! Sports. “To his credit, he has taken responsibility for his actions and is accepting the punishment that has been handed down. But as always, the UFC puts the safety of its athletes first and foremost, and we won’t tolerate anyone using performance enhancing drugs in our organization.”

The drug test was conducted by the UFC since the UK does not have an independent athletic commission.

This just goes to show that Dana White does have favorites. Leben was just in jail a few months ago for a parole violation that scrapped the first Bisping fight and now he's suspended. Anyone who was on the cusp with Dana White would be cut from the roster immediately. There's definitely a double standard going on and the UFC is too big for anyone to do anything about it.