Former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk has finally been officially taken off suspension by the California State Athletic Association.
You will recall that Sherk was suspended by the CSAC following a successful title defense against Hermes Franca at UFC 73 for testing positive for Nandrolone Metabolite. Sherk was initially suspended for a full year and fined $2,500 after having nandrolone levels of 12 ng/mL compared to the normal 2-6 ng/mL. The “Muscle Shark” appealed the ruling and had his suspension reduced from 12 months to 6 months last December but was subsequently stripped of his UFC title belt.
Sherk consistently maintained his innocence throughout the past year and has severely criticized the CSAC and vowed to never again fight in the State of California.
While Sherk’s suspension was technically completely on January 7, 2008, he remained on the official suspension list because he had not yet paid the $2,500 fine. CSAC officials have confirmed that the fine has now been paid and Sherk is officially off the suspension list and cleared to fight.
Current UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn will be Sherk’s first opponent back when they face off at UFC 84 on May 24 in Las Vegas, NV.
bvrasp
JStein
richard
MAD
MMAKansas
sorry all you bj penn fans… but im takin sherk for this fight… why… bj has turned into a fat non cardio slob… sherk via unanimous decision… sherk will wear him down…..
i think you got it back asswards Penn used to be a fat no cardio slob, but now he is working hard. im not a BJ Penn fan because of his old sh*tty out look on training but he has shown that his training is starting to get better. i do think your right about one thing, Sherk will wear Penn out IF the fight goes into the later rounds but i dont think it’ll go into the late rounds. Penns got great boxing and i think he’ll keep it up and beat Sherk up on his feet till Sherk has to get it to the ground to stop the onslaught and Penn will finish it there.
I’m calling the fight for Penn – depending on his strategy he will either submit Sherk (don’t tell me Sherk’s too strong for that … look at Nog and Tim Sylvia) or he will make Sherk a bloody mess standing up and chipping away at him little by little until he opens enough cuts to bleed him into a stoppage.
He bled his last opponent into a stoppage, I can see Sherk nervous now that he’s off the “SUPER” supplements and perhaps either too cautious and getting beaten due to BJ being proactive and whipping him like that, or Sherk getting excited and jumping into a Penn sub or elbow or something to open a nasty cut..
I see BJ submitting Sherk with the rear naked in the 3rd. This is assuming Sherk manages to steal a round with lay and pray, if Sherk never gets on top, BJ will submit him in 2.
i think this one will go fast, maybe even a round one finish. i think Sherk will want to be hyper aggressive to try and kill Penn gas tank, and thats a good plan except it kinda leaves you open to things (counter punching and subs) and that how i see Sherk losing the fight. the only way Sherk can win it is to put Penn on his back at the beginning of each round and just hold him down because once he is on the ground he will have to make no mistakes.
Patrick did u not watch Bj’s last fight??
He was far from a “fat non cardio slob”. In fact he even showed the beginning of a 6 pack. He is clearly more motivated now than he ever has been in the past few years. I think that were going to see the Penn from round 1 of the Gsp fight and the hughes of round 1 and 2 of the second hughes fight. Except I think were gonna see this BJ Penn for the entire length of the fight. **** Sherk. He passed Frankas guard like better but barely punched him at all. ITs like the ******* wanted to bore us to death. I hope Penn submits him and then goes to fight GSP.
it shocks me that not one person here is going for sherk..not one dude lol… well see