Sherk not stripped; Penn-Stevenson for interim title

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Sean Sherk is going to remain the UFC's lightweight champion, but B.J. Penn and Joe Stevenson will fight for a lightweight belt at UFC 80 in January in Newcastle, England, UFC president Dana White said Friday.

White said he's not going to strip Sherk of his lightweight championship because he is fed up with the California Athletic Commission's handling of Sherk's steroids case.

Sherk tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone following his successful title defense on July 7 at UFC 73 in Sacramento, Calif., over Hermes Franca. The California Athletic Commission fined Sherk $2,500 and suspended him for a year.

Sherk, though, denied taking steroids and appealed. His hearing was to have been on Wednesday, but it was postponed until Nov. 13 when members of the California commission realized they had not received the 17-page brief attorney Howard Jacobs had submitted on Sherk's behalf.

White had vowed to strip Sherk of the title, but said Friday that he no longer plans to do so.

"The way this whole thing has been handled has been a mess," White said.

He said Penn and Stevenson, who said he learned on Tuesday that he and his wife will have another son, will fight for the interim title as the main event of UFC 80 in Newcastle, England, likely on Jan. 19.

The winner of that bout would then presumably face Sherk once Sherk's status is defined by the commission.

White said heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and Fabricio Werdum would meet in the co-main on UFC 80.

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1. Posted by phillyphunkdified Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:10 pm EDT
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Dana White is a joke....
2. Posted by kenf Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:29 pm EDT
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Yes, he is a joke..............and so is that fight card except for BJ Penn, who will destroy Stevenson
3. Posted by phillyphunkdified Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:10 pm EDT
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dana white is a joke
4. Posted by JBJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT
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I whoop people ne way.
5. Posted by JBJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT
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i whoop people ne way.
6. Posted by JBJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT
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Whoops on folks.
7. Posted by Cant stop BJ Penn Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:17 pm EDT
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Dana White isn't a "joke," but I dont see what his deal is with Sherk, he's all on his nutz, Sherk sucks and no one likes him. He lays on his opponents for 5 rounds and everyone boo's the whole time. Bj is the best fighter in MMA, and most exciting. Joe is a tough fight, but he'll choke him out, and then Choke out sherk. BJ is too good in BJJ, and neither of them can take him down, I guarantee. Only thing i'm worried about is there strength. You just cant stop bj penn!!!!
8. Posted by Matt Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:12 pm EDT
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BJ is good, but he isn't the God that people seem to think that he is. Joe Stevenson is no joke...
9. Posted by eric c Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:29 pm EDT
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Wow, so a state-sanctioned athletic governing body identifies an athlete as failing a drug test... then the president of the UFC Dana White (and sadly the face of American MMA) decides that Sherk will remain champion until Penn and Stevenson fight. All of this decided before the drug test appeal is finalized? Dana's ego knows no limits.
10. Posted by David Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT
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Andersen Silva is the best fighter in the world. Period.
11. Posted by www.apitrainingcenter.biz Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm EDT
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I think you "TeleTubbies" that sit around cutting our Man "Sean" Sherk down for DOMINATING his weight class should take your craniums out of your rear end. Listen up. Sean is the cleanest fighter in any sport. He puts more time and effort into training than any athlete PERIOD. I dare any of you panty wastes to come in and try 1/3 of what he does. Ask for Matt and I will get you set up for a free session. Man up. This is the best thing for the entire sport of MMA. Sean is the best role model for all MMA athletes. Work hard, train to win, and Win! 1 more thing. BJ is a great fighter, but he is not a wrestler. Where are BJ's muscles?
12. Posted by CDT Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm EDT
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So Dana White is now rationalizing that because Sherk's case has been administratively mishandled by the authorities that he will no longer strip Sherk of the title if he did in fact use steriods... so much for wanting to clean up the sport, eh Dana. Dan White is a tough guy wanna-be and a scumbag, pure and simple. He needs to go.
13. Posted by Johnaldinho Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:44 pm EDT
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BJ Penn didn't look unstopable when Matt Hughes was pounding his face in not too long ago. Stevenson is a good fighter, and how can you say the card sucks? they've only announced two fights?? what a donkey...
14. Posted by Glenn G Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:08 pm EDT
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Dana has a man crush on Sherk obviously. Not stripping him of title if found guilty will be another travesty for MMA. BJ is so over rated..c'mon you all know Stevenson will win....geez even Gabe Reudiger could beat Penn! That UFC 80 card seems about as good as Jersey card...sucks! C'mon UFC...you can do better....or maybe you are too busy defending yourself against how bad you treat your fighters like Starnes' huge $3800 pay out; before paying for medical bills!
15. Posted by BlakeG Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT
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bj penn seperated his ribs in his fight against hughes and up to that point was dominating hughes. the guys natural fighting weight is 155 and regardless he was dominating the 170 lb champ until he got injured. i also think he shouldve got the decision in his fight with st. pierre. anybody remember what happened when sherk fought st. pierre?
16. Posted by The Butcher Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:51 pm EDT
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BJ is one of the best. Daddy is no joke either. Sherk sucks and everyone knows it. I fight a little bit here and there, i'm no professional by no means but hell, i'll let sherk lay on me for a few rounds. I'll punch his face a few times and then collect my check
17. Posted by Rico Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:26 pm EDT
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Dana white is a joke
18. Posted by g e Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:24 pm EDT
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Man, I gotta laugh at loser geeks like commenter No. 24. Yeah right, Yahoo knows nothing about MMA, but you click on here every day to get your actual MMA news anyways. Yahoo breaks MMA news; everyone else just reacts to it.
19. Posted by Richard Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT
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i think stevenson is going to put hands on bj
20. Posted by Staven Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT
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you guys all hate on sherk...hes the man...raw muscle ...people fear what they dont understand!!! but i will agree the fight card on the next 2 ufcs is very very weak, i wouldnt pay $1 to see any of these guys! until Dana White finds a way to get Randy Catuor back i am on a UFC hyatus
21. Posted by Staven Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT
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you guys all hate on sherk...hes the man...raw muscle ...people fear what they dont understand!!! but i will agree the fight card on the next 2 ufcs is very very weak, i wouldnt pay $1 to see any of these guys! until dana white finds a way to get randy catuor back i am on a ufc hyatus
22. Posted by J_Diddy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT
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Sherk isn't on roids,the athletic commission is a joke. Sherk would maul BJ Penn. He would take him to the ground, hold him there while he pounded his head into the ground.
23. Posted by J_Diddy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT
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Sherk isn't on roids,the athletic commission is a joke. Sherk would maul BJ Penn. He would take him to the ground, hold him there while he pounded his head into the ground.
24. Posted by Jeff S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT
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so let me get this straight one of the guys who helps put in my opinion the best combat sport on television on a weekly basis
25. Posted by Cypress Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:08 pm EDT
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What does an interim title mean to Dana? The winner of the Penn/Stevenson fight will fight Sherk if he can fight? If he doesnt get to fight and is guilty as charged will the winner of the Penn/Stevenson be the champ?