Curly Howard
10-16-2003, 07:46 AM
http://www.mmaweekly.com/
Just minutes after the completion of Tim Sylvia's hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, UFC President Dana White contacted MMAWeekly and enabled us to break the news of the hearing's outcome on Wednesday's MMAWeekly Radio Show. Though the end result of the hearing (a four-month suspension and a $7,500 fine) was announced on the radio show, the full interview with Dana White is available for the first time below.
The interview features Dana's description of what happened at the hearing, as well as his raw thoughts and emotions just minutes after the verdict was delivered by the athletic commission. Here is a transcript of the conversation from beginning to end.
Dana White: The hearing's over. Tim got suspended for four months and fined $7,500.
Ivan Trembow: That's good to hear, because it could have been six months, or nine months, or even twelve months...
Dana: Yeah, it could have been a lot worse than this. Tim threw himself before the athletic commission's mercy and admitted what he did. He also relinquished the title. He gave up the title.
Ivan: So he gave it up himself before the UFC made a decision or anything?
Dana: He gave it up himself. He said if anybody thinks he defended the title unfairly, he'll give it up and try to come back and win it when his suspension is up. Tim Sylvia is a champion a class act, and I seriously couldn't have been any more proud of him than I was today. He's a good man. He did everything the right way with this, and he got serious respect from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. I guess he wrote them all letters personally, apologizing and telling them how sorry he is. And he said that this is the biggest mistake he has ever made in his life and he's throwing himself at their mercy; he'll do anything that they want him to do. He's going to go to some high schools and talk about using steroids... he's just a class act. He did everything the right way, and he's a true champion. He's going to pay his fine and he'll be back in four months to try and win the title back.
Ivan: Did the commissioners say anything in their statements about how much they appreciated his honesty, or how it was a refreshing change from how those kinds of hearings normally go?
Dana: Yeah, they did. I mean, they really beat him up at the beginning of the hearing. They really beat him up, and then by the time it all wrapped up, they told him how much they respect him. They said that he's the only man, out of all the people who have been busted for steroids, he's the only one to have ever stepped up in front of them and admitted it and took responsibility. They said they have a ton of respect for him. He handled himself like a real man and a real gentleman.
Ivan: Did Monte Cox get a chance to speak in front of the commission during the hearing?
Dana: Yeah, Monte got up there and talked about the fine. They were worried about getting fined more money then Tim could afford.
Ivan: Is the four-month suspension from the date of the fight or the date of the hearing?
Dana: It's from the date of the fight, and also he has a year from the date of the fight to pay the fine.
Ivan: So that runs through the end of January... could he potentially fight at UFC 46?
Dana: He could fight again in March.
Ivan: Well, I have to say I'm more relieved than anything else that it's only a four-month suspension. I was thinking it was going to be six months at the least.
Dana: Me too. I was hearing crazy numbers.
Ivan: Is that something where a timeframe for the suspension is proposed by one of the commissioners and then they all vote on it?
Dana: Yeah, and they all voted for this. It was five to nothing in the votes.
Ivan: Are there any plans yet for what to do with the title, and is that something that you'd like to have resolved on the November show if you can?
Dana: No, we don't know for sure yet. We're still working on it, but yeah, we'd like to have it resolved for the November show if we can.
Just minutes after the completion of Tim Sylvia's hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, UFC President Dana White contacted MMAWeekly and enabled us to break the news of the hearing's outcome on Wednesday's MMAWeekly Radio Show. Though the end result of the hearing (a four-month suspension and a $7,500 fine) was announced on the radio show, the full interview with Dana White is available for the first time below.
The interview features Dana's description of what happened at the hearing, as well as his raw thoughts and emotions just minutes after the verdict was delivered by the athletic commission. Here is a transcript of the conversation from beginning to end.
Dana White: The hearing's over. Tim got suspended for four months and fined $7,500.
Ivan Trembow: That's good to hear, because it could have been six months, or nine months, or even twelve months...
Dana: Yeah, it could have been a lot worse than this. Tim threw himself before the athletic commission's mercy and admitted what he did. He also relinquished the title. He gave up the title.
Ivan: So he gave it up himself before the UFC made a decision or anything?
Dana: He gave it up himself. He said if anybody thinks he defended the title unfairly, he'll give it up and try to come back and win it when his suspension is up. Tim Sylvia is a champion a class act, and I seriously couldn't have been any more proud of him than I was today. He's a good man. He did everything the right way with this, and he got serious respect from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. I guess he wrote them all letters personally, apologizing and telling them how sorry he is. And he said that this is the biggest mistake he has ever made in his life and he's throwing himself at their mercy; he'll do anything that they want him to do. He's going to go to some high schools and talk about using steroids... he's just a class act. He did everything the right way, and he's a true champion. He's going to pay his fine and he'll be back in four months to try and win the title back.
Ivan: Did the commissioners say anything in their statements about how much they appreciated his honesty, or how it was a refreshing change from how those kinds of hearings normally go?
Dana: Yeah, they did. I mean, they really beat him up at the beginning of the hearing. They really beat him up, and then by the time it all wrapped up, they told him how much they respect him. They said that he's the only man, out of all the people who have been busted for steroids, he's the only one to have ever stepped up in front of them and admitted it and took responsibility. They said they have a ton of respect for him. He handled himself like a real man and a real gentleman.
Ivan: Did Monte Cox get a chance to speak in front of the commission during the hearing?
Dana: Yeah, Monte got up there and talked about the fine. They were worried about getting fined more money then Tim could afford.
Ivan: Is the four-month suspension from the date of the fight or the date of the hearing?
Dana: It's from the date of the fight, and also he has a year from the date of the fight to pay the fine.
Ivan: So that runs through the end of January... could he potentially fight at UFC 46?
Dana: He could fight again in March.
Ivan: Well, I have to say I'm more relieved than anything else that it's only a four-month suspension. I was thinking it was going to be six months at the least.
Dana: Me too. I was hearing crazy numbers.
Ivan: Is that something where a timeframe for the suspension is proposed by one of the commissioners and then they all vote on it?
Dana: Yeah, and they all voted for this. It was five to nothing in the votes.
Ivan: Are there any plans yet for what to do with the title, and is that something that you'd like to have resolved on the November show if you can?
Dana: No, we don't know for sure yet. We're still working on it, but yeah, we'd like to have it resolved for the November show if we can.