It was only five months ago that the Brazilian slugger Thiago Silva took a dominant unanimous decision victory over fellow light heavyweight Brandon Vera at UFC 125. Many felt Silva’s performance was an assertion of his standing among the very best in the 205-pound division. Weeks later, Silva’s performance would be shrouded in controversy following urinalysis test results indicating that he had submitted fake urine to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).

“Well this kind of thing goes all the way back to Kevin Randleman where he basically used a fake penis, put on a pair of bike shorts, had a cup and came in to take pre-fight urine,” says Keith Kizer, NSAC executive director. “He lifted up the leg of shorts, took out the fake penis and did the test. We checked on temperature, sent it to a lab, and we found it was fake urine. We said ‘look, now you guys have to pull down your shorts so that whoever is administering the test can see everything.’

“When Thiago Silva came in he pulled down his shorts and showed his actual penis, but as he turned towards the toilet he palmed a bottle, grabbing his penis in the other hand, pretended like he was urinating but was really putting the contents of bottle into the sample. We know now that Thiago’s sample was fake urine. It took him until the B sample to fess up to that.”

The decision win over Brandon Vera was changed to a no contest and Kizer claims the incident prompted a change in the commission’s testing policy:

“So the changes that we’re making are -- and it’s unfortunate we have to go to this level because guys like Thiago Silva and Kevin Randleman ruined it for the bunch -- that you need to see the urine coming out of the penis and into the cup. All fighters will be shirtless, and they shouldn’t have a problem with that since they fight shirtless in front of thousands of people anyway, and they will pull their pants down to the knees and then urinate right in front of the inspector. They have to see the urine actually going into the vial.”

Kizer and the NSAC have recently come under fire from Travis Tygart, chief of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), for what Tygart claims are lax standards regarding drug testing in mixed martial arts. Tygart would go on to state that the commission’s rules are ‘horrific’ in comparison to his own USADA rules and that they have fought ‘tooth and nail’ to oppose standardized blood testing in the sport. Kizer said while there is no urine test for human growth hormone (HGH), there are some serious concerns with the blood test for HGH. Kizer states that the method is too disruptive and points to recent hypocrisy on the part of USADA:

“We disagree on that point – the blood testing for HGH. He [Tyler Tygart] does this in a way that isn’t the most professional way of debating the issue and makes us all look bad – that is par the course for him and that is fine -- but first off, it is too invasive. Sticking a needle into the arm is more invasive than having a guy pee in a cup and we know that. We made a big deal at a previous NSAC hearing about taking blood too close to the fight and the risks involved, which include developing a hematoma, nicking the vain and so on.

“What’s telling is that USADA took no blood from Shane [Mosley] or Floyd [Mayweather] a week from the fight. They make a big deal about it and when they had their chance, they didn’t do it. That speaks volumes to who has the right attitude about blood testing.”

Additionally, Kizer says that the accuracy of the blood testing method pales in comparison to urine testing for steroids, masking agents and diuretics.

“There’s also the issue of whether it’s accurate or not. Urine testing is the best test for those substances as steroids are out of the blood very quickly. Travis Tygart has even testified before us about this. As for the HGH blood test, they’ve done thousands of tests and they’ve only caught one guy. Either he is the only guy doing HGH or there are a lot of false negatives.  In fact, the guy they caught had just used it so it was circulating in his system and he admitted it immediately."

According to Kizer, the use of blood testing would be superfluous for steroids, if not altogether unnecessary, given the literature on the method.

“The testing results from the HGH blood testing has not been peer-reviewed. So if an athlete got caught and they went to court, they would not get convicted because the test hasn’t been validated by the scientific community. If you do catch somebody but the results are going to get thrown out of court, then why would you test? For those reasons, I don’t know anyone, unless they have an agenda or are trying to get funding, who would say this is the thing to do right now.”

Not only will Gray Maynard answer any question that’s thrown his way, but he’ll answer it in a refreshingly real way. Gray addresses whether or not he’s a ‘boring’ fighter, if Anthony Pettis deserves a crack at the title and if Frankie Edgar possesses comparable wrestling to his own. Some fans may take objection to Gray’s candor, but he even has an opinion on that, too. Gray took time out of his busy schedule to talk with MMAFA.tv about his upcoming rubber match bout against the UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar. 

Jon Luther: Thanks for the time, Gray. You’re coming off of the first exciting fight of your career. How does it feel?

Gray Maynard: [Laughs] It feels good. But that’s what people say, right? Ever since I fought Edgar almost 3 years ago, I’ve only fought lefties. It’s a different style, a slower pace, and if you watch boxing a lot you know that. And nobody wanted to fight these guys because they were bad style match-ups.  I took those fights.

For a lot of guys a lefty like Nate Diaz is a bad match-up, Florian and Miller are both bad match-ups, and I also fought [Rich] Clementi at a time where he was on point. For me, I didn’t have an agent at that time to talk for me and decide what’s a good fight for me and what isn’t. I fought who they wanted me to and I asked for the top guys. If you look at it now, in the top ten, I’ve fought about four of them: Miller, Edgar, Nate, Siver. I’ve never had an easy fight. I don’t like to explain that because either you know it or you don’t.

JL: You were pretty emotional at the press conference after your last fight. Some people were wondering if you were crying. Not because it brings your masculinity into question, or because grown men aren’t supposed to cry, but did you actually cry?

GM: I probably didn’t at the time just because I don’t want to show emotion. It all hit me hard and I think afterwards I cried a little bit. But at the press conference, I don’t want to show any emotion. I want to keep it under control -- that’s the business. But I did cry afterwards.

JL: What was the main talking point you read on the internet following your last fight that drove you nuts?

GM: I don’t read the internet. I’m being dead serious about that. One, I don’t read anything on forums because those are all just opinions. When you’re a positive person and you do what you love and you’re trying to accomplish your goals… you can’t look at that negative s***. No disrespect, but those are from people who don’t do s***. They aren’t doing anything with their lives anyway. So why would you try to deal with that? You have to live a happy life and know what you’re doing.

JL: So you don’t even bother with it.

GM:  I listen to the people who count: the people in my camp and the people who are truthful. I will listen to bad criticism and good criticism if I know that the person cares about me and counts. I’m my own rock. I am the hardest guy on myself. Out of all the wins, I change my camp every f***ing time. I break down my tapes. It’s easy to win and say, “That’s a win so I’m going to keep on doing what I’ve been doing.” But go ahead and ask anyone at my gym who switches it up and they’ll say me. I want to know what’s wrong, so I can change it up. I feel that every time I fight I bring new stuff. I’ve evolved.

JL: How much sleep do you lose at night knowing that Anthony Pettis has to fight Clay Guida because of you?

GM: I sleep better. I mean, who has he fought? I’ve been in the trenches this whole time fighting the toughest guys. He throws one kick and then he’s the greatest in the world?

Let’s look at who he’s fought. Ben Henderson is the best name. And I don’t mind fighting him; I don’t care if I win the belt and then I have to take him on. But for me, guys like Miller, Melendez and all of these guys who have been on the f***ing grind, fighting the best competition for the past few years… that’s what I look at. Who have you fought? I don’t care about how good you looked when you fought a scrub. That doesn’t matter. If a guy isn’t good then you’re supposed to look good. And for me, [Pettis] has fought one good guy in Ben, and he isn’t proven yet. He’s tough as hell, but we’ll see.

JL: Who has better wrestling, you or Frankie Edgar? Pretend we’re back in college and we’re looking at your guys’ resumes. In a straight-up wrestling match, who wins?

 GM: I have the better wrestling, guaranteed. He was a 141 pounder and I was two weight classes above him. I think he went to NCAAs, I was a three-time All-American.

JL: If you have better wrestling than Frankie Edgar then why was he the one taking you down in the rematch?

GM: It’s not that I was tired, but I had an adrenaline dump in the rematch. The first round really was an adrenaline dump. All of your goals and dreams are right there in front of you, you think you’re done, and then you’re drained. My cardio was great, but my arms were f***ing zapped. So I fought the last four rounds and that was probably half of what I was capable of. But I did screw the whole thing up. It was my fault.

The way the sport is going now, a guy gets groomed through small shows. It’s like boxing, where guys get blown up to where they are 18-0, 12 knockouts and some TKOs, then they start to get some big name guys. But for me, I fought two guys who are professionals in my first amateur fights. I fought Evan Dunham in my first amateur [fight], I fought professional in my second fight, and then Brent Weidman for my third, then the TV show. I’m still kind of new to all of this. What happened when I caught Frankie [Edgar] in the first round, that’s never happened to me before so I didn’t know what to do. Next time I will. It’s a learning process and I’m still learning.

JL: So you were roommates with Rashad [Evans] when you were in college. Was he the crazy one?

GM: What do you mean?

JL: I mean did he come into the dorm in the middle of the night on a weekday, surrounded by all of these girls, just getting back from some wild party?

GM: S*** man, a lot of people have Rashad wrong. He’s the most down-to-earth guy, unbelievably nice. Here’s an example: My mom loves horses. She will talk your friggin’ ear off about horses if you let her. Most people try to get out of it when she starts talking about them. [Rashad] has talked to my mom, and she brought up horses. He sat there and talked to her for two hours about horses, asking her questions and stuff. He’s one of the coolest guys I know. In college he was really cool, one of my best friends.

The ‘problem,’ though, is that Rashad likes to tell the truth in the media. Everyone likes to go the politician-route, the mother f***er who lies. People need to realize that if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. People who are real, they don’t like that. They like Hollywood these days. They like s*** that isn’t real. They get mad at him because he talks from the heart.

JL: Some people have noticed that Jon Jones has really taken after Rashad Evans. He’s been accused of taking Rashad’s title shot, his training camp, and apparently his style. Some people think he’s taking over Rashad’s life.

GM: Well, like I said, if it’s too good to be true then it usually isn’t. I mean, I’m not going to say nothing about nobody, but Rashad is my boy and he’s a real person. I like real people. I hate fake people. Absolutely hate them.

JL: Thanks for your time Gray.

GM: Anytime.

On Wednesday afternoon, NSAC officials informed members of the MMA media via email that all the drug/steroid screening tests had been processed and were negative for participants at UFC 125, save for one. The email included a list of the fighters who had passed, with Thiago Silva’s name missing in a conspicuous manner. Keith Kizer, commissioner of the NSAC, confirmed to MMAFA.tv that Thiago Silva’s samples are still undergoing tests.

“We want to make sure before we go forward with anything,” said Kizer. “We have to protect the rights of the fighter, and that means we have to be certain about everything.”

Though the prolonged testing could be due to a mix up or false positive, this failed to deter MMA fans and media-types from speculating on the matter. Recent reports suggest that Rashad Evans is targeted to replace Thiago Silva for a rematch against UFC star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. This was due to a reported injury sustained by Silva, but Silva went on to refute the seriousness of the injury and insisted that the match with Jackson was a lock.

Silva, speaking to TATAME.com today, claims that the first sample submitted to the NSAC tested positive for banned substances but his second sample came back negative, clearing the fighter of any wrongdoing.

Keith Kizer informed MMAFA.tv that this is false, and that the results of the second sample might not be known for a while:

“That’s not accurate. We have gotten only the first sample back. It could be weeks before we find out the results for the second test.”

Many fans would identify Vladimir Matyushenko as a staple in the sport of mixed martial arts. The forty-year-old Belarusian has been in the sport for over a decade and fought some of the most notable fighters it can offer. But make no mistake, Matyushenko claims he is far from done and is eyeing his next bout. Speaking with MMAFA.tv from his ‘VMAT’ gym in El Segundo, Matyushenko shared his plans.

“Nothing is official and I would like to fight before Summer, but I want to fight the winner of Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Noguiera. It is a common sense fight for me. Both of those losses still bug me. It would be a way to redeem myself and it would be a great fight for Tito or Noguiera.”

It would appear that redemption is big motivator for Matyushenko, who lost at the hands of up-and-comer Jon Jones 6 months ago and went on score a stoppage win over Alexandre Ferreira only three months later. The stoppage win would be the first for Matyushenko in five years.

“I didn’t get hurt in the Jones fight. Well, my ego got hurt I guess [laughs]. But that was good for me, and I was healthy enough that when the UFC called me up shortly after I immediately took the fight against Ferreira. I never like walking around with a loss on my shoulders.”

Being a veteran of the sport, Matyushenko has seen his fair share of paradigm shifts. Yet Matyushenko claims the rise of younger fighters throughout the years wouldn’t have been possible without the groundwork laid down by him and his contemporaries.

“There are plenty of new guys coming up like Bader and Jones and they deserve a chance at the spotlight. But older guys like Randy Couture and I have proven that we’ve still got it. The new guys, like Jon Jones, have learned from us. I think Jones saw so much of my tape and what I do to people and he did it to me.”

With UFC 126 taking place tomorrow, Matyushenko offered his prediction for the main event:

“Anderson against Vitor is a very interesting fight. It depends on what state of mind the fighters are in. Lately, Vitor Belfort has been very good and has had some exciting wins. Anderson Silva is looking kind of lazy. Maybe he has burned out. I wouldn’t be surprised if Belfort takes it.”

Matyushenko also offered a prediction for a light heavyweight tilt between Jon Jones and Ryan Bader.

“I think Jon Jones will take him. I think he’s going to play the same game he always has. He’s going to be explosive, unpredictable… He is unpredictable for the guys he faces but he knows what he’s doing. I’d like to learn his game a little bit. I know he’s watching a lot of tape on other fighters and studies them. I’ll put my money on Jon Jones.”

When it came to the co-main event between Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin, Matyushenko insisted it was in his best interest to keep mum.

“No comment there. For you media guys it is easy to make predictions whenever you want because you don’t have to fight them after! I don’t want to look like I’m saying bad things about them, ‘You’re this and you’re that,’ then have them trying to beat me up!”

Finding a young fighter who anticipates the inevitable end to his combat career and acts accordingly is a rare thing. This is especially true when the fighter comes from a humble background and has to deal with the shock of newfound fame and fortune.

Kendall Grove knows the story well. Winning the TUF3 season and looking invincible in his first two UFC outings propelled him to a position that would make anybody in the fight industry envious. However, Kendall describes it as a time where he could have acted more wisely.

“I’ve been an idiot with my money ever since I got with the UFC up until only a few years ago. It wasn’t until I had my daughter that I said to myself, ‘Oh shit, this isn’t about me.’ I need to support my daughters, my son and a baby that is due in April. So I need my job with the UFC for two more years. After that, I can sit back and be a fan again.”

Kendall admits that raising a family, running a gym and punching in a career with the premier Mixed Martial Arts organization is a tall task, and it is one he has done well with so far. Yet as time goes by and his family grows, Kendall eyes the prospect of retirement with increasing consideration.

“A job is a job. I want to retire with the UFC because we have a fantastic relationship. But me, personally, I don’t want to do this shit forever. I love it because I love it right now. But once I get enough of a cushion to where I can live and be happy, that will be the end. I want to retire when I’m 30 years old. That is the plan.”

Kendall is currently 28 years old.

In 2010, the UFC merged with World Extreme Cagefighting, a promotion of lighter-weight fighters also under the Zuffa banner. Though the move was a highly anticipated one, it promised an increase in fighter releases in order to make room for those in the new divisions. Kendall, who has been faced with the possibility of being released by the promotion in the past, has his own opinions regarding the merge and the walking papers that accompany it.

“If you come to fight, don’t worry. You’ll be recognized by the UFC or someone else. Right now I am performing, but I’ve come up short. You need the win. Some guys will get pissed off when they lose fair and square, but I don’t care. It is a job. It is a hurt business. We’re going to get hurt. And if you can’t perform, go get another job. This is their company and they can do whatever the hell they want.”

Kendall states that if he was released by the UFC he would try to work his way back to the promotion prior to his anticipated retirement. He was recently tapped to fight at UFC 130 on May 28, 2011 and is currently in talks with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to find an opponent.

Kendall also supports the idea of a union for fighters, though he finds the chances of one materializing in the near future very slim.

“I support a union that gets us medical and looks out for us. It makes it a little more fair for the fighters. We will see if it happens. What about the guys who get paid big dollars, like Georges St. Pierre, Chuck Liddell – why would they sign on to something like that and get paid less? We can get it, but it is pretty far out of reach right now. We need some serious uniting.”

You can follow Jon on twitter here.

TUF 12 participant Kyle Watson is targeted to fight undefeated John Makdessi at UFC 129. Speaking with MMAFA.tv, Watson discussed getting the news this past week.

“I was out of town and my coach sent me a message telling me I could breathe easier now. I was in. It is real now. I’m not fighting guys on the show. I’m fighting guys in the UFC.”

Watson, with a record of 13-6-1, won consecutive bouts on TUF12, losing only in the semifinals against the season winner Jonathan Brookins. Watson won a unanimous decision over Sako Chivitchyan at the finale.

Citing his involvement in TUF12 as an invaluable learning experience, Watson says it revealed holes in his game that he has since worked diligently on patching up in anticipation of his official debut in the octagon. Watson feels he has yet to show the fans what he is truly capable of.

“I got too comfortable being on my back instead of using aggression in the fights. I could have thrown up submissions or gotten more takedowns but I didn’t. I’m capable of it and I’m working with my coaches on the mental aspect of my game. I’m super self-critical. For instance, finishes can be exciting, but sometimes the way I do it is not. I have to work on that but it is something I can do.”

Being one of the more grounded and cool-headed participants on TUF 12, Watson intends to keep the same demeanor during his time with the UFC. It is an approach he likens to that of Georges St. Pierre (GSP), his coach on the show.

“I was a fan of Georges before the show, but during and after the show he became my favorite fighter. He couldn’t care less about camera time and he sincerely helped us all to be better athletes. When (fellow participant) Andy Main and I went up to visit him in the heart of his training camp he had guys like Rashad Evans and Roger Gracie working with him. We thought we might fall by the wayside but we couldn’t have been any more wrong; he included us in everything, introduced us to others like we were equals and did one-on-one work with us. He is an incredible guy.”

You can follow Jon on twitter here.

Mark Bocek got everyone’s attention when he tapped out Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Dustin Hazelett with a triangle choke from mount at UFC 124 in Montreal. Bocek, speaking with MMAFA.tv, explained why he went on to call out fellow lightweight George Sotiropoulos immediately following the fight.

“I want to set the record straight. I’m not one to just call people out, but everyone looks at him as the Jiu Jitsu guy at 155 and I want everyone to look at me as that. I can beat Sotiropoulos and he is a great stylistic match-up for me. The upcoming fight with Benson Henderson might even be tougher for me.  He’s not as technical as Sotiropoulos, but he has better conditioning and wrestling. Also, look at Sotiropoulos’ last fight: he really slowed down after the first round with Joe Lauzon.”

Bocek also claims he shouldn’t be overlooked as one of the top lightweights in the UFC division.

“I feel like I’m right up there and this next fight will put me right at the top.  Everyone knows where Jim Miller stands in the division and I think I beat him. The problem was that we fought in New Jersey (where Miller is from) and I didn’t finish him. Look at Miller’s reaction, look at his interviews – he thought I won that fight, too.”

At UFC 129 Bocek takes on former WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in his backyard at Toronto.

“He is a tough match-up for me but I will be ready. I have the advantage in a few areas, too. Sure, he is hard to submit, but he doesn’t have better Jiu Jitsu than Dustin Hazelett, he doesn’t have better wrestling than Jim Miller and we know about my fights with them. Cardio has never been a problem for me and I am getting better every fight. I’m very happy with this match-up.”

The WEC was recently merged with the UFC, both promotions under Zuffa ownership, combining the two lightweight divisions into one. Although Bocek welcomes the new fighters into the UFC fold, he remains skeptical about their ability to compete with top UFC lightweights.

“They deserve their shot, but are they on the same level as the top UFC guys? No. I don’t think Anthony Pettis will beat Gray Maynard or Frankie Edgar. Time will tell, and he has looked fantastic, but I think the top five guys in the UFC could edge him out. There are other guys coming in like Donald Cerrone who has good striking but we all know he isn’t a grappler. This is Mixed Martial Arts, not just kickboxing.”

The Washington State Athletic Commission has confirmed to MMAFA.tv that UFC Fight Night 24 will be taking place at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. The event is scheduled to take place on March 26, 2011.

Match-ups confirmed to take place at the event include:

Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Noguiera

Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson

Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft