Even though he has not been active, Wanderlei Silva had an eventful 2015. The former UFC star is still in a legal battle with the Nevada State Athletic Commission from his lifetime suspension and fine from the state of Nevada. He is also defending a lawsuit from the UFC.
Silva appealed the commission ruling and the penalty (suspension and fine) were overturned by a Nevada state court. However, in the court ruling, it issued that the case go back before the commission to determine an appropriate punishment for avoiding a drug test in lead-up to his fight with Chael Sonnen at UFC 175.
Silva’s attorney appealed the court ruling to the Nevada state supreme court. Essentially, Silva argues that he was not licensed at the time that the drug test was to be taken and thus should not be subject to the rules of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. However, the Court will not render a ruling on the appeal until the commission issues its revised ruling on the Silva suspension. At its last commission hearing, Silva’s attorney offered a settlement which would end the matter with the commission. However, the commission tabled the decision until another meeting date.
In the meantime, Silva put out a YouTube video degrading the UFC. He also posted messages on Facebook which claimed that the UFC made hurt fighters fight and that fights were fixed. His attorneys argued that these comments were made in god faith.
As a result, the UFC sued Silva this summer for defamation and business disparagement. The lawsuit was filed in Nevada State District Court
Silva’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss (a comprehensive breakdown is here) the lawsuit and were successful in dismissing the business disparagement claim but the lawsuit remains.
Silva claimed that he had information which would assist the current plaintiffs in the antitrust lawsuit venued in Nevada. He has stated that he might be included as part of the class of fighters in the lawsuit but has yet to commit his name to it.
The Silva matter will be interesting if he is ever deposed in this lawsuit. It is a rather unique tactic undertaken by the UFC to have legally gone after a fighter for talking out against the company.
Wonder if Nevada will address the ban and get a more realistic suspension in place soon or if they’ll drag this out for another year to get him to 40 so he’s basically done by default of sitting for so long..