Sean Keith Sherk, the retired American mixed martial artist and former UFC Lightweight Champion, was considered by many as one of the greatest UFC lightweight competitors of his era.
Sean was banned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) after he tested positive for Nandrolone metabolites. Sherk tested positive for steroids during his fight on July 7, 2007 at UFC 73 against Hermes Franca, who also tested positive for drugs. Sherk denied doping allegations while Franca admitted to using Drostanolone.
Sherk had won a five-round unanimous decision over Franca. Sherk, the Ultimate Fighting lightweight champion, claimed that errors were made in lab testing procedures. He said proper measures were not implemented in handling vials that were used previously and successfully for positive tests and this was the reason why his sample was contaminated. His suspension was later reduced to six months in place of the original one year. Sean Sherk was stripped by the UFC his Lightweight championships after the CSAC decided to uphold the results of the positive steroid test.
In April 2008, UFC President Dana White announced that Sherk will fight against B.J. Penn who won the title vacated by Sherk. Sean Sherk lost to Penn by TKO in the third around after he failed to answer the fourth round bell. Sherk then fought against Tyson Griffin at UFC 90: Silva vs Cote where he won by unanimous decision in a three-round war that earned him Fight of the Night.
His next fight was against Frankie Edgar at UFC 98 where Sherk lost via unanimous decision. Sherk was suspended after this fight after he ran from the arena before providing a post-fight analysis. His sample tested clean but Sherk was suspended for 45 days for his act.
Sherk formally announced his retirement from MMA fighting on September 2, 2013.
Sean Sherk and MMA 