Chael Sonnen
Chael Sonnen’s repeated drug test failures have become just as infamous as the memorable trash-talking antics that helped take him to multiple title shots in the UFC.
Sonnen cleverly used his skills on the mic to work his way into a major middleweight title fight against Anderson Silva in 2010, but after losing to a fifth round submission it emerged that ‘The American Gangster’ had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, registering a T/E Ratio 17 times that of a normal man.
As a result, Sonnen was suspended for a year by NSAC and to make matters worse, at the same time he was also dealing with a separate legal case after being charged with money laundering in connection with mortgage fraud in relation to his work as a licensed realtor in Oregon.
After testifying against others in the investigation Sonnen was given two years probation and set his sights back on his UFC career, going on to fight for both the middleweight and light-heavyweight titles again.
However, in 2014, Sonnen tested positive for no less than four banned substances, HGH, EPO, anastroloze and hCG, and despite having initially protested his innocence, he eventually admitted to having cheated, leading to a two-year suspension from the sport, being removed from broadcasting duties for FOX Sports and announcing his retirement from the sport.
