How will Cung Le do in the Twilight of his career?

[MysticNinjaJay]

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/188/files/2014/03/Cung-Lee.jpg


Cung Le is returning to UFC competition with a fight against Michael Bisping on August 23, 2014 at UFC Fight Night 48.

Cung says he has 3 fights left on his contract which he plans to fulfill and there is talk of the winner of Le vs. Bisping fighting Anderson Silva.

How do you think Cung Le will do in the last fights of his career?

[Fa Xing]

If he stays on top of his training, I think he'll do great.

[Firehawk4]

Didnt the Anderson Silva guy break his shin bone ? Does he still kick with that shin bone i wouldnt kick with it .

[Kellen Bassette]

Cung never looks bad in his fights, you have to believe he will start going downhill at his age, but I don't think we've seen that yet.
I think at his age you got to take it one fight at a time and be honest with yourself. Hopefully he finishes his contract, comes out on top and retires a legend.
I always think it's sad when a great fighter retires five fights too late, but with Le, so far so good.

[MysticNinjaJay]

Didnt the Anderson Silva guy break his shin bone ? Does he still kick with that shin bone i wouldnt kick with it .

Yeah, he broke his leg. He's not retiring though it's healing. He says he wants Nick Diaz or the winner of Le vs. Bisping. Diaz is retired and will only come back if he gets paid what he wants so I think the other matchup is more likely. If Cung Le gets past Bisping he could very well be facing Anderson Silva.

[David Jamieson]

Like all things, entropy will happen. It's inevitable, for all of us.
Better to go ahead and try instead of regretting that you didn't.

Seems puffy, but I usually ask myself if today is a good day to die.
It's kind of like telling myself that what I've done so far in my life is ok, it's enough, I have few regrets.
With each fulfilled promise to myself, each following day is that much better of a day to die. :)

[GeneChing]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/10393826_10152515507069363_2127549806435244751_n.j pg

Cung stopped by our tournament (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66730-2014-Tiger-Claw-Elite-%285-17%29-amp-KUNG-FU-TAI-CHI-DAY-%285-18%29-in-San-Jose-CA) to sign autographs and such. He told me about the Bisping fight in confidence then because at that time, the papers weren't all signed, but it was imminent. Cung looked burlier than I've ever seen him, and I've known him for years now. He's been training hard, lifting weights, on a strict diet, and he looked fierce. Of course, as he's a personal friend, I always root for him. I'm optimistic for this fight for him.

I haven't really kept up with Bisping. Anyone know how he's looking nowadays?

[MysticNinjaJay]

Cung Le has indeed looked very muscular in the recent photos I've seen of him on Facebook. He's in better shape than he was his last few fights (I heard he had an injury coming in to the Rich Franklin fight which effected his training).

Michael Bisping is coming off of a loss and is 2-3 in his last 5 fights including a devastating head kick KO loss to Vitor Belfort last year.

What always worries me about Cung Le is his stamina. He takes long lay offs to act in movies and his style is suited for a younger man. All of those kicks take their toll. I noticed in the rematch with Scott Smith that he used less kicks and picked his shots carefully. That's what I think he needs to do against Bisping. Bisping has great stamina so I think Cung Le needs to get the early knockout, otherwise he really has to pace himself or he could be in trouble. The way he KO'd Rich Franklin gives me hope that he can pull it off against Bisping as well.

[GeneChing]

REPRESENT!

From his facebook~

Had to get into my Kung Fu stance to represent! Cung Le vs Michael Bisping #venetianmacao #ufc #ufcmacao #ufcchina tickets on sale now. #TheStormsComing

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/10394599_494404874026642_1778065601936617422_n.jpg

[SifuYui]

Cung with the Fong Ngan (Phoenix Eye) fist pose. Love it. Very Hollywood (or Media Asia) of him :P

[MysticNinjaJay]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAdUOaiK6C8

[Pete]

:eek: love that vid! still haven't got into watching ufc/mma stuff, whens the fight?

[MysticNinjaJay]

:eek: love that vid! still haven't got into watching ufc/mma stuff, whens the fight?

The fight is August 23rd and it's free on TV. Don't miss it! If you're new to MMA it should be a treat. I'd highly recommend Cung Le to Martial Arts fans who are watching MMA for the first time.

[Lucas]

bisping is going to get rocked. Cung all the way.

[MysticNinjaJay]

Cung Le is training HARD for this fight....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4-4JIKzwy4

[Pete]

The fight is August 23rd and it's free on TV. Don't miss it! If you're new to MMA it should be a treat. I'd highly recommend Cung Le to Martial Arts fans who are watching MMA for the first time.

whoops forgot about this thread! glad i didn't miss it...when you say it's free on tv which tv do you mean? in the US?

[GeneChing]

This Saturday in Macao...


UFC Fight Night 48 preview: Cung Le taking it one (super) fight at time, starting with Michael Bisping in Macau (http://www.mmamania.com/2014/8/18/6028573/ufc-fight-night-48-preview-cung-le-taking-it-one-super-fight-at-time-michael-bisping-macau-mma)
By Jesse Holland @Jesse_Holland on Aug 18 2014, 12:00a

http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37076460/451133034.0_standard_709.0.jpg
Jayne Russell

"I want to compete and be the main event. I love super fights, and Michael Bisping is a super fight to me. I plan to bring the lightning, followed by the thunder." --Cung Le


"They might have the names, but you won't find anybody in UFC who can kick like Cung Le."

That's what a fellow mixed martial arts (MMA) reporter told me the first time I ever got to see the Sanshou specialist in action. It was a few days before his Strikeforce middleweight title fight against Frank Shamrock back in 2007, and Le was pounding the pads for a handful of reporters.

His last kick was one for the flashbulbs, and it landed hard enough to split the seam on the heavy bag.

That didn't seem to faze Shammy leading up to the event, who was far too proud to take their fight to the ground and hunt for what was considered an easy submission victory. No, "The Legend" wanted to beat the challenger at his own game, and as a result, left San Jose's "Shark Tank" with a broken arm.

That's the kind of power you can expect from the 42-year-old striker, who has yet to notch a submission victory in 11 professional fights. And I don't believe that streak will end when he throws hands opposite Michael Bisping in the UFC Fight Night 48 main event, which takes place on Fight Pass this Saturday (Aug. 23, 2014) in Macau, China.

Why bother?

Eight of his nine wins have come by way of knockout/technical knockout. And you can ask Rich Franklin the kind of torque Le can get behind his punches, too, if "Ace" can remember what actually happened the night he went stiff inside the Cotai Arena.

Which makes you wonder why the Californian hasn't competed in nearly two years.

At the tender age of 42, Le (9-2) has only fought, on average, once a year since 2007, denying himself the kind of momentum it takes to get into the division title hunt. But while the promotion celebrates the crossover appeal of stars like Ronda Rousey, Le was lighting up the silver screen long before anyone heard of "Rowdy."

His biggest role to date was alongside Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster in 2009's Pandorum, which inevitably draws comparisons to the fictional Johnny Cage. Sure, he looks good onscreen, but he'll still come back to the fight game every 12 months to remind you this **** is for real.

To that end, Le has always been more of a martial artist than a cage fighter, promoting his own amateur events in the Bay area for over 18 years. That's one of the many reasons why he was tapped to play the role of UFC President Dana White when the promotion held its first "Ultimate Fighter" series in China.

Is it too late to make a run at the title?

Probably, as the idea of trying to stay competitive in a division stacked with masters of the ground game makes it hard to envision a scenario where intelligent fighters don't opt for the floor instead of rolling the dice on the feet. That includes Bisping, who showed us in the Brian Stann fight that winning is still more important than looking good (making this claim hard to believe).

And by his own admission, "The Count" would consider a new line of work if he went to sleep overseas.

That means a Bisping loss is more important than a Le win, at least in terms of how the future of the division unfolds. The brash Brit has always been a tough out, but a crack at the 185-pound crown continues to elude him. I'm not sure Le even cares about the title at this stage of the game, because he's not even ranked in the top 15 and would have to put together an incredible run to even get into the discussion.

Speaking of incredible runs, consider this:

2008 Strikeforce Middleweight MMA Champion
2005 Strikeforce Light Heavyweight San Shou Champion
2004 ISKA Light Heavyweight K-1 Super Fight Champion
2001 IKF Light Heavyweight World Champion
2000 ISKA North American Light Heavyweight Champion
2000 ISKA Light Heavyweight K-1 Super fight Champion
1999 Art of War Light Heavyweight Champion (China vs. USA)
1999 ISKA Light Heavyweight Sanshou Champion
1998 ISKA Light Cruzer weight Champion
1998 Shidokan Team USA Champion
Three time Bronze Medalist in Wushu World Championships
California Junior State Champion (158 lbs)
AAU Freestyle and Greco Roman National Champion (163 lbs)
California State High School Wrestling All-American.
Black belt in Taekwondo
Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Not too shabby.

"One fight at a time," Le recently told reporters, which is how it has been since the beginning. And I wouldn't expect a win -- or a loss -- to change that approach to the fight game. That's probably for the better, as there may not be any more room in his trophy case for another belt.

[MysticNinjaJay]

whoops forgot about this thread! glad i didn't miss it...when you say it's free on tv which tv do you mean? in the US?

I just found out the other day that it's only available on UFC Fight Pass. :(


The good news is that you can get a 7 day Free Trial and watch the fight!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxqUtrVrOqc#t=409

[MysticNinjaJay]

Well it was a good fight. Cung Le landed some decent shots but he took a beating. He's very tough for fighting with those swollen eyes.

I think it's time for Cung Le to retire. He's had a great career.

[GeneChing]

Fortunately, it probably won't hurt his acting career like that sort of face-mangling would for Gina or Ronda. Plus Cung has astonishing recovering powers, so I daresay he'll have his face put back together in no time. But still, it's always disappointing to see a friend lose.


Michael Bisping finishes Cung Le, calls out Luke Rockhold (http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/michael-bisping-finishes-cung-le-calls-out-luke-rockhold-082314)
Damon Martin
FOX Sports
AUG 23, 2014 11:10a ET

http://a2.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/UFC/images/2013/11/20/112013-UFC-Michael-Bisping-PI-AA.vadapt.955.medium.0.jpg
Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC / Zuffa LLC

Michael Bisping looked better than ever on Saturday in China.

Michael Bisping outstruck and outlanded Cung Le for three rounds before finally finishing off the former Strikeforce middleweight champion with a knee strike and punches in the fourth round of their main event bout at UFC Fight Night in China on Saturday.

Coming into the fight, Bisping was teetering on the edge between another run towards the top of the middleweight division or being resigned to gatekeeper status following an ugly loss to Tim Kennedy in his last trip to the Octagon.

Bisping didn't disappoint in any way as he came out aggressive against Le from the opening bell and put a hurting on the 42-year Vietnam native with a high-volume, striking attack that he had no answer for until the fight ended in the 16th minute.

In the early going, Bisping ripped Le's face with a number of combinations, but it was a simple jab that eventually popped the former champion in the eye that did the most damage. Le was wincing while trying to motion to the referee that he received a poke, but the replay showed that it was nothing more than a clean punch from Bisping that landed directly in his eye.

The assault continued in the next two rounds with Bisping opening up two and three punch combinations and often times ending it with a kick, which was the signature move of his opponent heading into the fight. A second cut that opened on Le's face further restricted his vision and it seemed like just a matter of time before Bisping found the opening to put a stop to the bout.

The fourth round started and Bisping knew he had Le in trouble. The British fighter slammed his left knee right up the middle when he engaged Le and that was all it took to send his opponent crashing to the mat in a heap. Bisping followed up as Le rolled to his side to avoid any further damage and the referee saw enough to stop the punishment before things got any worse.

The victory came at just 57 seconds into the fourth round in what has to be one of Bisping's best fights over the last couple of years. Following the win, the outspoken Brit wasted no time launching into a title-fight tirade while also officially calling out the fighter who he believes should be his next opponent.

"This is what I'm capable of and I'm capable of better," Bisping stated. "I want the title. There's an idiot named Luke Rockhold who doesn't stop talking about me. I think he's got the hots for me to be honest. I'm going to beat Luke Rockhold and then I'm taking the title."

While rumors have placed Rockhold in a potential bout this November against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, there's no denying the heat in matching him up against Bisping instead. While he may not have the ranking that Machida does in the division, Bisping and Rockhold have a history together that could make sparks fly and sell tickets for whichever event the would land on.

As for Le, when the cameras zoomed in on the veteran middleweight after the fight it showed the damage his face took courtesy of Bisping's constant attacks. It was a one-sided fight and a tough loss for the veteran fighter, but the fans in China certainly stood by Le whether he was the biggest winner or fell short as he did on Saturday night.

Full results from UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Le

Main Card:

Michael Bisping def. Cung Le by TKO at :57 seconds, R4

Tyron Woodley def. Dong Hyun Kim by TKO (strikes) at 1:01, R1

Zhang Lipeng def. Brendan O'Reilly by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Ning Guangyou def. Jianping Yang by unanimous decision (29-28 on all cards)

Preliminary Fights:

Wang Sai def. Danny Mitchell by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Alberto Mina def. Shinsho Anzai by TKO (Strikes) at 4:17, R1

Yuta Sasaki def. Roland Delorme by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:06, R1

Colby Covington def. Anying Wang by submission (strikes) at 4:50, R1

Royston Wee def. Yao Zhikui by split decision (29-28, 27-20, 29-28)

Milana Dudieva def. Elizabeth Phillips by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

[Jimbo]

That's too bad. I was hoping for Cung to win.

It doesn't seem like he plans to retire, but IMO, retiring might be the best option for him at this point. I would think that straddling the line between being an actor and a professional fighter is risky for both pursuits that require so much concentrated effort, especially the fighting. Straddling that line may not be as risky for Ronda, who at this point is THE top of the food chain in her division. Anyway, whether Cung chooses to retire from fighting or not, I wish the best for him.

[MysticNinjaJay]

http://photos-f.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xfp1/891471_797549106952517_1015179313_n.jpg

[GeneChing]

Zuffa Statement on Cung Le (http://www.ufc.com/news/Zuffa-Statement-on-Cung-Le)

September 30, 2014

Zuffa, LLC, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®, released a statement today regarding UFC middleweight Cung Le:

UFC middleweight Cung Le tested positive for an excess level of Human Growth Hormone in his system following his fight at UFC Fight Night in Macao, China on August 23. Due to his positive test result, Le was suspended by the UFC and notified that he violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes. Le will serve a nine-month suspension and, at its conclusion, will need to pass a drug test before competing in the UFC again.
This is very disappointing.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Shouldn't be disappointed or surprised Gene, PED are the name of the game and have been for decades.

[GeneChing]

PEDs pervade all sports nowadays and Cung, like so many athletes, has been accused of PEDs before. I'm still disappointed he got busted. Nine months is a long time at his age. It will be very difficult to come back after that. If he doesn't, this would be a most inglorious conclusion to his fight career.

If UFC stepped up their drug testing, they'd probably lose half their league today.

[MysticNinjaJay]

I'm shocked that Cung Le of all people would take Performance Enhancing Drugs. I always felt that he was one of the few true Martial Artists out there with integrity. His suspension by the way has been reported to be 12 months. I think his career is over. It would be such a shame for him to end his career in disgrace like this. A loss is one thing. You can lose gracefully but your name is forever tainted when you get caught cheating.

I will still remember Cung Le as a humble and respectful guy who put on some amazing fights. HGH doesn't teach you how to throw spin kicks.

But apparently it can make you look like this in your 40s.

http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Cung-le-before-and-after.jpg

Such a shame. :(

[sanjuro_ronin]

HGH and steroids are the "fountains of youth".

Please see here for how effective JUST steroids are:

Just in case any is wondering HOW effective steroids are and why anyone would use them:
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/steroids-vs-natural/

This part here in particular:



The Study

This 10 week study took a group of 43 men of normal body weight between the ages of 19 and 40 who all had some degree of weight training experience. These men were then split up into 4 different groups:

Group 1 did NOT do any form of exercise, and did NOT receive any form of steroids or drugs. (Natural guys doing no weight training.)
Group 2 did NOT do any form of exercise, but they received weekly injections of 600 mg of testosterone enanthate. (Drug users doing no weight training.)
Group 3 DID exercise, but they did NOT receive any form of steroids or drugs. (Natural guys doing weight training.)
Group 4 DID exercise, and they also received weekly injections of 600 mg of testosterone enanthate. (Drug users doing weight training.)
All of their diets (calorie intake, protein intake, nutrient intake, etc.) were standardized according to each person’s body weight, recorded, verified and adjusted when needed. The 2 groups who WERE weight training (groups 3 and 4) followed the same supervised workouts each week.

Meaning, with the exception of the fact that some groups were or were not weight training, and some were or were not using drugs… everything else (diet and training) was equal and even.

The Results

So… guess what happened?

Group 1 (no exercise, natural) experienced no significant changes. No surprise there.
Group 2 (no exercise, drug use) was able to build about 7 pounds of muscle. That’s not a typo. The group receiving testosterone injections and NOT working out at all gained 7 pounds of muscle.
Group 3 (exercise, natural) was able to build about 4 pounds of muscle.
Group 4 (exercise, drug use) was able to build about 13 pounds of muscle.
So What Does This Study Show Us?

Well, for starters, if you are natural and not doing any form of weight training, your muscle building results will suck. But we all knew that already.

Second, the muscle building effects of steroids are pretty F-ing significant. Despite using identical workout routines and diets, the guys who were also receiving testosterone injections gained over 3 TIMES as much muscle as the natural guys in the same period of time. The average difference was 13lbs gained to just 4lbs gained.

And third… here’s the most insane part of all. The group getting the testosterone injections and NOT doing any form of weight training whatsoever still gained significantly more muscle than the natural guys who WERE weight training. The difference was 7lbs gained to 4lbs gained.

Let me repeat that again just in case it didn’t sink in. Guys using drugs and doing NOTHING built more muscle than the natural guys who were weight training 3 times per week. How crazy is that?

Link to study:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056...99607043350101

[GeneChing]

Let me repeat that again just in case it didn’t sink in. Guys using drugs and doing NOTHING built more muscle than the natural guys who were weight training 3 times per week. How crazy is that?
That is so tempting. I spend way to much time sitting on my ass in front of a 'puter, trying to eek out my living nowadays. I could surely use another 7 lbs of muscle, but I doubt my heart could take it at my age now, which is a good thing in that it significantly reduces my temptation. The nagging question here is what happens when a PED is developed that has minimal negative side effects? Would you take it then? As many of you know, I do volunteer work in the drug intervention (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=469), and right now, we're living in the second greatest uncontrolled drug experiment in U.S. history with what is happening with medical marijuana. It's a totally new frontier, moving at a tremendous rate. While marijuana is not really considered a PED, the advances in PEDs are equally rapid because there's big money in it. Not like the old coke-runner drug cartels we see in B-rate Kung Fu movies, but major corporate funding from medicinal research and who knows how private sports franchises might figure into that?

[sanjuro_ronin]

That is so tempting. I spend way to much time sitting on my ass in front of a 'puter, trying to eek out my living nowadays. I could surely use another 7 lbs of muscle, but I doubt my heart could take it at my age now, which is a good thing in that it significantly reduces my temptation. The nagging question here is what happens when a PED is developed that has minimal negative side effects? Would you take it then? As many of you know, I do volunteer work in the drug intervention (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=469), and right now, we're living in the second greatest uncontrolled drug experiment in U.S. history with what is happening with medical marijuana. It's a totally new frontier, moving at a tremendous rate. While marijuana is not really considered a PED, the advances in PEDs are equally rapid because there's big money in it. Not like the old coke-runner drug cartels we see in B-rate Kung Fu movies, but major corporate funding from medicinal research and who knows how private sports franchises might figure into that?

The number 1 market for Testosterone and HGH is the vanity market and we can thank Stallone for that (remember when he was caught with HGH while filing Rambo (4) and his interview with Time where he states that HGH is a fountain of youth and it is only a matter of time before it becomes as common as vitamins?).
The reality is that it works and works really well and has minimal side effects IF done under medical supervision, ie: male HRT.

I know a few people that are on it and the changes were noticeable within weeks of taking ( and i mean less than 1 month).

Here is the thing, we all want to recapture our youth and with silliness like "40 is the new 30" and the mainstream media routinely showing men what they are SUPPOSED to look like, is it any wonder?

Add to that the element of "former athletic prowess" that we all want to "have back" and you see the market - older men with money that wanna look good, feel good and BE good.
Not just for their age but just as good as the youngins !

Of course there are just as much ( if not more) guys in their 20's doing it to.

Don't think it is just about looks, not it isn't.
The fact is that Testosterone works in the practical aspect too, you FEEL Good and not just because you look lean and muscular but because you can DO all the stuff you either could do when younger or even better, do stuff you were never able to do at all !

When we see our girlfriends or wives ( or both, LOL) swoon at the likes of Superman or Thor shirtless, we all get that " Hmmmmm..." moment going through our heads and some guys DO something about it and then the furstration and disappointment sets in when we realize we are NOT kids anymore and NO, muscle wont' build and fat won't burn like it used to.

Then we realize the FACT that those guys got big and ripped with PED and that we CAN have those PED and that it is NOT illegal and, well...

[bawang]

I'm shocked that Cung Le of all people would take Performance Enhancing Drugs.

thats why you will never obtain one pubic hair of cung les spirit. if you compete you do whatever it takes to win.

[@PLUGO]

MMAfighting.com posted Cung Le's Facebook statement here. (http://www.mmafighting.com/2014/10/2/6895083/cung-le-proclaims-innocence-blames-failure-on-on-unreliability-of)

"I was completely surprised at the results of my recent drug test," Le stated. "I was informed by the UFC that I passed my pre and post-fight drug test as well as the majority of the blood tests with the only abnormality being an elevated level of hGH being determined to be present. I tested negative for Anabolics, Stimulants, Diuretics, Masking Agents and my Testosterone levels were within World Anti- Doping Agency and Nevada State [sic] Athletic Commission approved limits a total of three times over two urine tests and a blood test collected both before and after my fight which is what makes these hGH result so difficult for me to accept as correct."


"I have been informed that there are many possible reasons for a level of hGH to exceed what is allowed unknowingly and my doctors are researching those possibilities, which may include a much more serious health concern," Le continued. "I have also been informed about the unreliability of the current hGH testing that exists and it's high rate of inaccuracy. I want to reiterate to my fans and the fans of mixed martial arts everywhere that I did not take any performance enhancing drugs or anything that would cause my natural level of hGH to exceed normal levels. "

Cung Le's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/cung.le)shared this article: Cung Le fires back: 'I did not take any performance enhancing drugs' (http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/cung-le-fires-back-i-did-not-take-any-performance-enhancing-drugs-100214?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:ufconfox)

“I WANT TO REITERATE TO MY FANS AND THE FANS OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS EVERYWHERE THAT I DID NOT TAKE ANY PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE MY NATURAL LEVEL OF HGH TO EXCEED NORMAL LEVELS”

[MysticNinjaJay]

I hope he is telling the truth but at this point what can he do? Other fighters have tested positive and gotten their doctors to look in to the situation coming up with plausible explanations (ex. Alistair Overeem's doctor admitted to giving him medication with synthetic testosterone) only to be forced to serve their suspensions and be labeled cheaters the rest of their careers. It is a shame that this is happening to Cung Le.

[bawang]

I hope he is telling the truth but at this point what can he do? Other fighters have tested positive and gotten their doctors to look in to the situation coming up with plausible explanations (ex. Alistair Overeem's doctor admitted to giving him medication with synthetic testosterone) only to be forced to serve their suspensions and be labeled cheaters the rest of their careers. It is a shame that this is happening to Cung Le.

of course hes not telling the truth. being a good fighter does not mean a good person.

[Frost]

of course hes not telling the truth. being a good fighter does not mean a good person.

True and what was he going to say, whoops sorry I got caught wont happen again, no fighter ever does this they all plead ignorance lol I suspect his use is as much to do with getting in movie shore than anything else

[sanjuro_ronin]

Supposedly there are a few natural products that can increase the levels of HGH.
People forget that it is not only for PED's that they test but for the RESULTS of PED's ( more people get caught because of that than getting caught on an ACTUAL PED).
The issue then becomes this:
Is it OK to increase your HGH ( or testosterone for example) if you do it "naturally" as opposed through injections?

IMO, it is exactly the same thing.
IMO, they shouldn't even test for that stuff anyways.

[@PLUGO]

MMA Junkie just posted this piece: In Cung Le's case, a drug test with legitimate doubts, but an unclear appeal process (http://mmajunkie.com/2014/10/in-cung-les-case-a-drug-test-with-legitimate-doubts-but-an-unclear-appeal-process)


…as anti-doping scientist Dr. Don Catlin put it to MMAjunkie: “I think (the test done by the UFC) is useless. I wouldn’t pay any attention to it all.”

The problem, according to Catlin, is that testing for HGH is a tricky business. In order to do it accurately, you need to do it at a lab approved by and operating under the standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The UFC, instead, went through the Hong Kong Functional Medical Testing Center, which is closer to an occupational drug testing lab than anything, say, the Olympics might use to analyze an athlete’s blood sample. But for HGH? They simply don’t have the necessary materials, according to Catlin, who is widely regarded as one of the fathers of modern drug testing for his work at the UCLA Olympic Analytical Lab in Los Angeles.

“The only people who can do HGH testing properly are those who are running WADA labs, and have the reagents supplied by WADA,” Catlin said. “That works. That’s what any sport testing for HGH, that’s legitimate and is useful, will do. But you have to be a WADA-accredited lab to get the reagents. They’re hard to come by.”

According to Ibarra, a phlebotomist hired by the UFC took a blood sample from Le mere minutes after he’d exited the cage. That in itself is problematic since HGH levels fluctuate, with some research suggesting that HGH levels might “increase tenfold during prolonged moderate exercise,” according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

“The level that Cung tested was high, but it was high for a resting level,” Ibarra said … (http://mmajunkie.com/2014/10/in-cung-les-case-a-drug-test-with-legitimate-doubts-but-an-unclear-appeal-process)

[GeneChing]

If the test was a false positive, the question then becomes 'why?' Who wants Cung DQed in this way? I'm rooting for Cung of course, as he is a personal friend. I haven't spoken to him on this matter yet however.



Top scientist says to ignore Cung Le's HGH test result (http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/10/8/6948491/top-scientist-says-to-ignore-cung-les-hgh-test-result)
By Bloody Elbow on Oct 8 2014, 3:36p
http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41288032/454010520.0_standard_709.0.jpg
Victor Fraile
While many fans and media didn't think twice about Cung Le's drug test failure for elevated HGH levels, some drug testing experts are weighing in on issues in the UFC's testing methodology.

This is a guest article by Gabriel Montoya. You can follow him on Twitter at @Gabriel_Montoya.

MMA fighter Cung Le was suspended for one year by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) last week for elevated Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels found in a blood sample collected immediately following his August 23 TKO loss to Michael Bisping. Le's suspension was initially for nine months but the UFC revised their suspension and extended it to a year, citing an error on their part. That suspension appears to be one in a series of errors made by the UFC regarding Le and his test results. Mounting scientific evidence suggests a myriad of mistakes made by the lab as well as the UFC. The Hong Kong lab used to conduct the hGH test, the sample collection procedure and the actual test results used to determine the "elevated levels of hGH" have some of the top anti*-doping experts puzzled.

One of the world’s most renowned sports doping scientists and the former chairman of the Australian Sports Anti*Doping Authority, both responded to the test results with outright skepticism. One of them even flat out said he'd ignore the test results.

There are currently two different tests being used by the World Anti* Doping Agency (WADA) to detect hGH use. The hGH "Isoform Differential Immunoassays" test is used to determine the presence of exogenous (meaning from an outside source) hGH in the system. That test is used in conjunction with a test for serum IGF*1 levels.

The other hGH test is known as the Biomarker test. According to the Hong Kong lab report reviewed by this reporter, none of these sports doping hGH tests were conducted on Cung Le's blood sample.

Instead, the Hong Kong lab took a reading of Le's total hGH concentration, which by itself cannot determine if the subject has used exogenous hGH or not.

***YOU CAN READ THE FULL REPORT IN PDF FORM HERE. (http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2337060/CUNG_LE_u6574u4EFDu5831u544A_20140909_Test_Results __1___1_.0.pdf)***

For a male who has fasted and rested for 12 hours prior to giving a blood sample to be tested, [proper protocol], the normal range is 0*5 ng/mL. For an athlete giving a sample after strenuous activity such as a fight, the expected range is 20*30 ng/mL. Le's reading was a bit below 20 ng/mL, which is actually lower than the expected post*-exercise reference range.

Dr. Don Catlin is considered to be one of the foremost experts on performance enhancing drug testing in sports. He oversaw the opening and operation of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Testing Lab for over 20 years. For the past several years, Dr. Catlin has been developing a new hGH test with his own research team.

"If it was not the isoform test I would ignore [Cung Le's test] results," Dr. Catlin told this reporter.

As it turns out, the fact that Le's sample were not tested using the Isoform, IGF*1 or Biomarker tests is just one in a series of testing gaffes.

On the night of August 23, 2014, Cung le and Michael Bisping fought on a card "self*-regulated" and promoted by the UFC in Macau, China. Le, 42, suffered severe injuries in his TKO loss to Bisping. Cut over the eyes, Le told this reporter late Sunday night that he also suffered a broken bone inside his eye socket.

According to a statement released Monday to MMAJunkie.com by UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner "a phlebotomist hired from the Mayo Clinic collected blood samples from both fighters. The blood samples were shipped to the Hong Kong Functional Medicine Testing Center for analysis." According to Le, the sample collector took two vials of blood from him after a couple unsuccessful tries and then shipped it off to the lab in Hong Kong which is not WADA* accredited. What does that mean? It means that the Hong Kong lab would not be able to perform the Isoform or Biomarker hGH tests which WADA considers to be essential to determining a positive hGH test.

"At this time hGH testing can only be reliably tested in a WADA lab with the appropriate reagents [meaning: chemicals]," said Dr. Catlin.

Richard Ings, the Chairman of the Australian Sports Anti*Doping Authority from 2005 to 2010, weighed in. "Only WADA accredited labs are authorized to perform anti*-doping analysis to WADA standards," he said. "There are 34 to choose from at last count, I believe."

Why the UFC decided to use a non*-WADA lab in Hong Kong when a WADA lab was available three hours away in Beijing, China remains a mystery. It is also unknown whether the "phlebotomist" hired by the UFC is a member of a WADA *approved doping control entity.

To compound matters, Le was given his results by the UFC after they received them from the Hong Kong lab. However, neither the lab or the UFC bothered to translate them from Chinese into English. Mr. Le is Vietnamese.

"We had to use 'Google translate' in order to read the results," said Gary Ibarra, Le's manager.

Once Le and Ibarra were informed of the lab’s findings, they asked that the B sample be tested. It is standard sports drug testing procedure for samples collected to be divided into an "A Sample" and a "B sample." The UFC informed Le that the B sample had been thrown out by the lab, destroying any chance of a science*-based appeal.

"Every sample requires an A and a B analysis," said Ings. "The B sample is the confirmation test of the A sample analysis. No B sample means no ADRV (Anti*-Doping Rules Violation) is possible."

As for the "elevated hGH levels" finding of the Hong Kong lab, Ings said "[This case] would never stand up at appeal at CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport)." CAS, which is considered the supreme court of sport’s doping, is the third party venue used when an athlete wishes to challenge a positive test result.

Unfortunately for Le, CAS is not an option in this case. The UFC, when holding events outside the United States, is a self-*regulated organization. They determine how and when to test as well as what the punishment will be.

"Who would we appeal to?" replied Ibarra when asked when Le’s hearing would be to challenge the positive test result. "Dana White? Lorenzo Fertitta?"

On Monday, the UFC, via Ratner's statement, stood by their decision to suspend Le. At press time, the UFC did not answer questions posed by this reporter. Rather, they passed them along "for review should we be interested in participating in your story."

"The UFC is the judge, jury and executioner," said Le, who rightfully feels he is entitled to due process.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Under the circumstances the UFC should give him the benefit of the doubt.
That said, does it matter anymore in terms of his fighting career?

[GeneChing]

It matters to his legacy.



UFC will allow Cung Le to appeal drug suspension -- and it's the right move (http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/ufc-will-allow-cung-le-to-appeal-suspension-and-it-s-the-right-move-100814?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:ufconfox)
Marc Raimondi
FOX Sports
OCT 08, 2014 10:14p ET

http://a1.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/UFC/images/2014/10/08/100814-UFC-Cung-Le-TV-Pi.vadapt.955.medium.0.jpg
Victor Fraile / Getty Images AsiaPac

Cung Le, suspended a year by the UFC for testing positive for HGH, will at least get the chance for an arbitrator to hear his case.

Cung Le is getting major backlash from his failed drug test and, maintaining his innocence, he believes things have gotten out of control.

"People are going on my son's Instagram and telling him I'm a cheater," Le told FOX Sports. "I don't think the UFC understands what they've done."

Well, the MMA veteran got good news Wednesday. He'll rightly get a chance to clear his name.

UFC president Dana White told ESPN.com that Le will be able to appeal his year-long suspension handed down when he tested positive for HGH following a loss to Michael Bisping on Aug. 23 in Macao.

Le's manager Gary Ibarra told FOX Sports that he has not heard from the UFC about an official appeals process, but plans to follow up right away upon learning of White's comments. The appeal would be overseen by a third-party arbitrator, UFC COO Lawrence Epstein told ESPN.

“People are going on my son's Instagram and telling him I'm a cheater. I don't think the UFC understands what they've done.”
-Cung Le

"We're very happy that Cung is going to have the right to defend himself," Ibarra said.

And he should. If Le, 42, fought Bisping and then tested positive in Las Vegas, he would absolutely get a date in front of the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) to tell his story, which is honestly rather compelling. In this case, the UFC regulated the Macao card itself. That's a conflict of interest for sure (though hard to avoid in regions without governing bodies), but it doesn't mean Le should not have due process.

Le's argument in front of the arbitrator will be multiple-fold. First, the lab the UFC used to test the samples, the Hong Kong Functional Medical Testing Center, was not certified by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA), considered the top of the food chain as far as HGH testing goes. White told ESPN that a WADA accredited lab was not used in this case, because this was an unprecedented decision by the organization and happened at the 11th hour. Previously, the UFC had only ordered urine tests on athletes on fight night. White said the UFC will never authorize a non-WADA certified lab to perform blood tests again.

Don Catlin, an expert on testing who oversaw the operation of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Testing Lab for more than 20 years, told Bloody Elbow's Gabriel Montoya that Le's test results should be "ignored" if the proper WADA procedures were not used. There is also a British Journal of Sports Medicine study that says growth hormone production in the body can increase during strenuous activity. Le's blood was taken after his fourth-round TKO loss to Bisping.

"There are several issues -- the laboratory chosen to do the testing, the manner in which the testing was performed," Ibarra said. "The sample was collected post-fight, which is a huge mistake. It's pretty simple. All the questions that we raised in the public eye were raised in the public eye, because at that time that was the only thing we could do."

Not anymore. Le will get the opportunity to present his version of events and evidence. It's the only way to do it, regardless if you believe him or not. Le's physique was impressive prior to the fight with Bisping -- it was the best he has ever looked -- and the suspicion is what led the UFC to demand the testing in the first place.

But the eye test won't matter to an independent arbitrator. The facts will. And, at this stage, that's all Le can really hope for.

"I'm ready for a hearing," Le said.

He deserves that much.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Sure, I agree that in regards to his legacy because of the whole silly "cheater stigma" the haters try to pin on pro athletes.

What I mean is that, regardless, his fight career is over.


I do have top say this:
Even if he gets cleared I personally believe that he did use HGH or use something to get his HGH levels up there.

[bawang]

paper thin skin prolly means he used something

[GeneChing]

Thank goodness. I'm still pondering why they would test the loser after the fight. What's the point of that anyway?



UFC Rescinds Suspension of Cung Le (http://www.ufc.com/news/UFC-Rescinds-Suspension-of-Cung-Le)
October 21, 2014

At UFC Fight Night Macao on August 23rd, UFC contracted with an independent drug testing laboratory in Hong Kong to perform urinalysis testing on all fighters on the card. Additionally, UFC requested the laboratory to test blood samples from 4 fighters for human growth hormone (HGH), erythropoietin (EPO) and testosterone.

One of the athletes who had his blood tested was Cung Le. The laboratory results from Le’s blood test were sent to the UFC and showed that his blood had a total HGH level outside the reference range. Based on such results, UFC officials determined that Le had violated his promotional agreement and the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. Consequently, UFC decided that Le should be suspended from unarmed combat competition for 12 months.

Following the announcement of Le’s suspension, UFC officials have been provided with medical advice regarding the elevated total HGH present in Le’s system. In accordance with such medical advice, UFC has determined that Le’s elevated total HGH by itself does not prove that he took performance-enhancing drugs before the August 23rd bout. As a result, UFC has informed Le that his suspension is rescinded.

Le had requested an appeal of his suspension, and was entitled to arbitrate the drug test results and suspension. However, based on the lack of conclusive laboratory results, UFC officials deemed it appropriate to immediately rescind the suspension without the need for further proceedings.

The UFC organization has always been a leader when it comes to testing for performance-enhancing drugs in combat sports. All UFC athletes know they are subject to drug testing by an applicable state athletic commission, an international governing federation, or by an independent laboratory contracted by the UFC when no regulatory body is overseeing the event. In those cases where regulatory oversight is unavailable, UFC voluntarily chooses to adhere to the highest level of athlete health and safety protocols similar to if the event were being held in the state of Nevada.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Thank goodness. I'm still pondering why they would test the loser after the fight. What's the point of that anyway?

See, this is the part where people think that someone didn't take PED because they WANT to think that.
Read this part and understand what they are truly saying:

In accordance with such medical advice, UFC has determined that Le’s elevated total HGH by itself does not prove that he took performance-enhancing drugs before the August 23rd bout. As a result, UFC has informed Le that his suspension is rescinded.

The are NOT refuting the test results, they are saying that the tests ALONE don't prove He took PED's.

[GeneChing]

UFC executive discusses Cung Le's HGH testing fiasco (http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-ufc-cung-le-hgh-epstein-macao-20141023-story.html)

http://www.trbimg.com/img-543601e9/turbine/la-sp-cung-le-20141008/750/750x422
UFC middleweight fighter Cung Le practices Wing Chun during a training session in Hong Kong before his bout against Michael Bisping this summer. (Anthony Kwan / Getty Images)
By Lance Pugmire

UFC executive Lawrence Epstein says rescinding suspension of Cung Le is apology enough in bungled HGH test

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s bumbling of middleweight fighter Cung Le’s human growth hormone test in China has been an embarrassing misstep for the organization and the cleanup isn’t progressing to the fighter's satisfaction.

In his first public comments since the UFC rescinded a one-year-long suspension it slapped Le with over a supposed elevated HGH test result earlier this month, Lawrence Epstein, the UFC’s senior executive vice president and chief operating officer, told the Los Angeles Times that overturning Le’s suspension is a sufficient apology to the fighter.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat this: We’re not happy with how this particular situation played out,” Epstein said. “Once we had information, we rescinded it. That’s appropriate under the circumstances. We said it all by rescinding the suspension. I feel like what we did is an adequate remedy.”

Le found out in the days before his Aug. 23 fight in Macao that his main-event opponent, England's Michael Bisping, had seen a photo of a very muscular Le in training camp and requested complete drug testing. Le suffered a broken eye bone in the bout, and was cut on the face during a fourth-round technical knockout loss to Bisping.

The UFC hired a company to conduct the tests of all fighters on the card, Epstein said, and included additional blood tests for Le, Bisping and a few others.

The results were not sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited lab in China, however, and when testers in Hong Kong reported elevated HGH in Le’s system, the UFC disciplined the fighter.

Soon after, several critics, including former Olympic anti-doping chief Don Catlin, criticized the procedure and the lab as Le and his supporters argued that taking a blood sample immediately after heavy exertion and stress can produce higher levels of naturally occurring HGH.

Catlin said the result should be “ignored.”

In a press release Monday, the UFC then rescinded the suspension, but declined to reveal what medical experts were consulted, and Epstein declined in a Wednesday interview with The Times to point out who provided the advice.

“[The experts] all concluded that though the tests did show elevated levels of HGH, the test that was administered was not conclusive [to say] that those were not the result of exogenous HGH,” Epstein said.

So why weren’t these same experts consulted before Le was suspended?

“We were in China, using a lab where they analyze the blood locally, so we went to the only facility that was in the area that could do this,” Epstein said. “We told them what we wanted them to test for. They conducted the test. The test was done properly, but not done to conclusively prove the elevated levels were exogenous.

“There was nothing wrong with the test. It just wasn’t the right test.”

Le, reached Thursday by telephone, said he hasn’t had a conversation with UFC officials since the suspension was rescinded.

“They should have consulted those experts before they suspended me,” Le said.

When Epstein was asked if the UFC could have rooted this out before disciplining Le, he said, “What happened was, we got the test results back, explained to [Le’s] representative that these were above the normal levels, that we were going to suspend him.

“At that point, there was some discussion about whether or not these tests could properly find elevated levels of something that was taken versus something that naturally occurred. We did additional investigation and received additional information … so we rescinded the suspension.”

And perhaps irrevocably soiled a fighter’s reputation.

“I’m not happy about it, but we had to deal with the situations as they’re presented to us,” Epstein said. “ … We assumed the results were valid. It was one of those things. The wrong test was given.”

He said no one at the UFC has lost their job over the matter.

Epstein said since earlier this year he has led the UFC push to align with a company like the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that can test fighters, with the ability to impose sanctions on those who test dirty.

Le’s case, said Epstein, is “another reason we’re looking at some sort of comprehensive testing protocol for all of our athletes conducted by a third party.

“We are not in the drug testing business. We are in the sports/media/fight promotion business. When we have athletic commissions or federations in place, they do it all. When we have situations like we have in Macao, we have to self-regulate. We do the best we can. Frankly, that’s what I think we did.”

Epstein said it could take another six months before the UFC can have the third-party testing in place, with state athletic commissions still needing to bless the arrangement that would allow the third party to discipline the athlete.

Le, meanwhile, still has two fights remaining on his UFC contract, but after this episode and the loss to Bisping, he isn’t sure where he stands.

“What I read in their press release in lifting my suspension, I don’t feel like that’s an apology at all,” Le said. “There’s no apology. I’m happy they lifted my suspension, but … if you’re wrong, man up.” Is the UFC going to try and pretend this all never happened? If you're going to go to the trouble of busting someone, make sure the charges stick.

[@PLUGO]

Cung Le requests contract release; calls UFC 'something I don't believe in anymore'
By Dave Doyle for mmafighting.com (http://www.mmafighting.com/2014/12/3/7329533/cung-le-requests-contract-release-calls-ufc-something-i-dont-believe)


We're more than a month removed from the resolution of Cung Le's drug-test dispute with the UFC, but the bad feelings on the fighter's end of things have yet to subside.

Le revealed Wednesday that he has told his manager, Gary Ibarra, to request his release from his UFC contract.

On veteran MMA reporter Josh Gross' "Gross Point Blank" podcast, Le explained that he no longer has it in him to work for Zuffa in the wake of a drug test which was first announced as a failure for human growth hormone, then was rescinded.

"I'd just prefer not to be part of the UFC anymore," Le told Gross. "I'd prefer not to put the effort into something I don't believe in anymore."

It was announced that Le had tested positive for elevated levels of human growth hormone following his fourth round TKO loss to Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 48 on Aug. 23 in Macau, People's Republic of China. The UFC, which oversees its own drug testing for international events, first announced a nine-month suspension, then upped it to a year.

After Le requested an appeal of the process, however, the UFC changed course and rescinded the test results and the ban.

Ibarra, who also appeared on Gross' podcast, says the damage was done, regardless of the result.

"The consensus prior to this situation was that Cung was that he was an honorable man," Ibarra said. "A family man, a true embodiment of what martial arts is: Respect, honor, he embodied all of those things. And now hii career will ever be tarnished, or forever have something of an asterisk next to it, due to something that is no fault of his own. Does anybody deserve that? No, absolutely not. I would hope the UFC would understand that and recuse themselves from further drug testing when there are no athletic commissions, and leave drug testing in the hands of people who specialize in drug testing so that this doesn't happen again."

The 42-year old Le, who indicated he has dropped his requested apology from the UFC over the matter, said he hasn't made up his mind on whether he's going to fight again. However, if he does so, he said his choice would be to reunite with Scott Coker, the current Bellator CEO, with whom he has a business relationship dating back to his days as a kickboxer.

"If I would fight for anyone, it would be Scott Coker," Le said. "I would not fight for the UFC after what happened."

[GeneChing]

Cung Le Italy tour 2014 (http://allevents.in/rome/cung-le-italian-tour-2014/938783916135180#)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/10648394_10205136424320702_6333815044507280779_o.j pg

Il grandissimo Cung Le, campione mondiale di Sanda, campione di MMA e attuale fighter UFC, sarà per la prima volta in ITALIA dal 19 al 21 Dicembre 2014 in varie città d'Italia, fra cui Roma Pescara, Cassino, per tutti i suoi fan di Sanda e MMA. Si terranno più stage di Sanda e Stage di MMA. Si consiglia una prenotazione anticipata per non rischiare di ultimare i posti!!

The great Cung Le, world champion in Sanda, MMA champion and current UFC fighter, will be for the first time in ITALY 19 to 21 December 2014,in several Italian cities, including Rome, Pescara, Cassino, for all its Sanda and MMA fans. He will take more seminars for Sanda and for MMA. We recommend an early reservation to avoid the risk of completing the places !!
I heard he'll do some exhibition fights.

http://www.uikt.it/images/ari1/Dragons.jpg
From www.uikt.it (http://www.uikt.it/)

[GeneChing]

...it would have been amusing to attend this press conference.



Class-action lawsuit against UFC to be formally announced at press conference tomorrow (Tuesday, December 16) (http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/12/15/7397549/class-action-lawsuit-against-ufc-to-be-formally-announced-at-press)
By Brent Brookhouse @brentbrookhouse on Dec 15 2014, 6:24p

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FibT7mWaNl4E7ypuxt1-zdkIvBc=/0x0:3982x2655/709x473/assets.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44344442/usa-today-8027724.0.jpg
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

A press conference will be held to formally announce the class-action lawsuit against the UFC by fighters tomorrow afternoon in California.

The previously reported class-action lawsuit to be filed against the UFC by fighters -- originally broken here at Bloody Elbow -- will be formally announced tomorrow afternoon.

The information was released via an e-mail sent out to select media members earlier today.

The announcement will be made at a press conference in San Jose tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET). There was little by way of detail given in the e-mail beyond "A news conference to announce legal action by MMA professionals against the UFC. Plaintiffs’ names, news release and other details to be provided during the news conference. "

It isn't likely that all plaintiff names will be released at the press conference, but details on some of the involved fighters will be released as will other details.

Remember, you can read our original report on some of the details and initial reaction here.

And we will have much, much more tomorrow and in the coming days.

[GeneChing]

I'm taking this topic up over here: UFC-lawsuits (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50188-UFC-lawsuits&p=1279427#post1279427)

[GeneChing]

Dana White: UFC Abandons Plans for Out-of-Competition Drug Testing (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2316658-dana-white-ufc-abandons-plans-for-out-of-competition-drug-testing)
By Jeremy Botter , MMA Lead Writer
Jan 1, 2015

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/218/618/hi-res-e122c0f0ff5bff48b66a33d95cde749f_crop_north.jpg?w= 630&h=420&q=75
Alex Trautwig/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS — The Ultimate Fighting Champion has abandoned the plans it once had for an in-house drug testing program that would see all of its contracted fighters tested randomly year-round.

UFC president Dana White revealed the news during a media session attended by Bleacher Report on Thursday afternoon at the MGM Grand.

White said that the UFC's experience with Cung Le's failed drug test after his loss to Michael Bisping in China was the impetus for recalling the program. White said Le was initially suspended for being "18 times the limit" and that the fighter agreed to a nine-month suspension.

But after the suspension was agreed, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta decided to add an additional three months to the suspension, feeling that nine months was not long enough.

"When we went back to them with 12 months, that's when they fought it," White said.

The snafu led to Le's suspension being overturned entirely. He is now part of a class-action lawsuit pending against the promotion.

White said the experience made him realize the UFC cannot oversee its own program.

"Our legal team completed screwed that up. We f----d it up, and we will f--k it up again. That's what the commission is there for," he said.

White continued by saying that while they have come to the realization that the promotion cannot oversee its own drug testing program, Zuffa will instead give more money to athletic commissions to help fund additional testing.

"What we'll do is we'll help fund it, so they can do more drug testing," he said. "Our legal department screwed that whole thing up. We've got no business handling the regulation."

White also confirmed that he believed Le's participation in the class-action lawsuit stems directly from the botched test results.
That last sentence is pretty obvious...:rolleyes:

[Kellen Bassette]

http://mmajunkie.com/2015/01/ufc-vet-former-strikeforce-champ-cung-le-retires-from-mma?utm_source=fb-CUNGLERETIRES&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook

[GeneChing]

But I'll c&p the text because I'm an archivist that way here (besides I already c-ed it) ;)



UFC vet, former Strikeforce champ Cung Le retires from MMA (http://mmajunkie.com/2015/01/ufc-vet-former-strikeforce-champ-cung-le-retires-from-mma?utm)
By: Steven Marrocco January 20, 2015 3:15 pm

https://usatmmajunkie.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/cung-le-ufc148.jpg?w=1000
Cung Le

After several months of weighing his options, middleweight Cung Le has decided to hang up his MMA gloves.

Le’s longtime manager, Gary Ibarra, told MMAjunkie that the 42-year-old fighter’s retirement extends only to the cage, leaving open the possibility of a return to kickboxing, where he competed prior to his MMA debut in 2006 under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner.

However, Le said in a prepared statement (available below) that he intends to focus on his acting career, which has led him to several major roles as an actor and fight choreographer in action movies.

Several weeks ago, Ibarra said Le sent a letter to the UFC announcing his retirement. Prior to that, he was considered part of the promotion’s active roster.

Typically, the UFC freezes a fighter’s contract upon retirement, so Le would be obligated to the industry-leader should he change his mind about competing in MMA.

Le (9-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) retires with a 9-3 record, which included a stint as the Strikeforce middleweight champion. He most recently fought this past August at UFC Fight Night 48, where he suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Michael Bisping. One month later, the UFC announced he tested positive for elevated levels of human growth hormone and suspended him first for nine months. Then, Le’s suspension was extended to 12 months with the promotion citing an error on the term’s length.

In a statement, Le denied any used of performance-enhancing drugs and said he was “completely surprised” by the UFC’s findings. He questioned the testing methods utilized by the promotion.

After questions were subsequently raised about the testing protocols used for UFC Fight Night 48, which the UFC self-regulated in Macau, as well as Le’s ability to contest the findings against him, the promotion announced it would allow the fighter to have his case heard by a third-party arbitrator. Then, after receiving medical advice from an unknown party, it concluded that the test results were inconclusive and rescinded his suspension.

Le subsequently said he no longer wished to fight for the UFC and contemplated retirement. After being cleared of wrongdoing, Le called the UFC to task for its handling of his case.

“While I feel vindicated in this matter, the UFC’s press release does little in the way of an apology of which I believe I am rightly owed after unfairly enduring the public’s scrutiny,” Le wrote.

Le subsequently requested his UFC release but was denied. In an interview, he said if he were to return to active MMA competition, it would be with his his former promoter, current Bellator MMA President Scott Coker, who ran Strikeforce before its acquisition by UFC parent company Zuffa in 2011.

This past month, Le was named as a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the industry-leader alleging it engaged in anti-competitive business practices. He was the only active UFC fighter attached to the litigation, which the promotion has promised to vigorously contest.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

* * * *

Le’s statement:

After several months of thought and discussion with my wife and family we realize our future includes many things, but active competition in mixed martial arts is no longer one of them therefore I am officially announcing my retirement from active competition. Fighting will never be far from my heart and martial arts will always continue to be a part of my daily life. I have thoroughly enjoyed the career that I have been blessed with due in large part to all my fans and the many people who have helped me on my journey.

I want to personally thank my wife, Suzanne, my three Little Ninjas, my Mother, Sister and the rest of my incredible family for their support, prayers and inspiration. I’d like to take this opportunity to personally thank Scott Coker for his long-time friendship and support of my career, Gary Ibarra for your tenacity, to Khoa Do for everything, Scott Sheeley, you know, and to Jane Estioko, thank you for your loyalty. I’d also like to thank all of my past and present USH Team Family members, I am grateful for every round.

I’d like to recognize the UFC for the opportunity they have provided me, the sport of mixed martial arts, and more importantly the fans who love it, you will never be far from my heart. It has truly been my honor and my privilege to entertain you.

[Kellen Bassette]

I admit, I only posted it to try to beat you, I thought about copying and pasting it, but said, nah, if I don't Gene will anway. :p

[GeneChing]

...or maybe, as this is the MMA forum, I tap. :o

[GeneChing]

How diplomatic. :rolleyes:



Cung Le Retires at 42 (http://www.ufc.com/news/Cung-Le-Retires-at-42)
By Thomas Gerbasi January 20, 2015

http://media.ufc.tv/photo_galleries/ufuel6_01_fukuda_vs_deblass_001/ufuel6_09_le_vs_franklin_014.jpg

The official record will only show four UFC bouts from 2011 to 2014, but the impact Cung Le had on fight fans over that period of time goes far beyond that, and they will certainly remember the middleweight action hero fondly in the future as he enjoys a retirement that he announced Tuesday.

“After several months of thought and discussion with my wife and family we realize our future includes many things, but active competition in mixed martial arts is no longer one of them therefore I am officially announcing my retirement from active competition,” the 42-year-old Le wrote in a statement.

Said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, “Cung Le was a great ambassador of the sport for us in Asia and one of the most exciting middleweights to step foot in the Octagon. We wish him well in his retirement and future endeavors.”

“Cung Le was awesome and would take any fight,” UFC President Dana White added. “He was such a huge piece of the success of The Ultimate Fighter China. I loved working with him and wish him well in the future.”

Le's journey began on May 25, 1972 in Saigon. Three years later, in 1975, Le and his mother left the war-torn nation and started fresh in the United States. The transition wasn’t particularly easy on the youngster, as he noted in a 2003 interview.

“I think the biggest adjustment was learning the language,” Le told me. “I was a skinny kid and when we first came over, everyone was mad at what happened in Vietnam so it wasn’t a great childhood growing up and being part of being with the regular kids. I was always being put down and I was just trying to be like every other kid.”

Eventually, Le would find his niche in the wrestling room, where he won several titles and accolades.

“I was really competitive in high school and college,” he said. “I was a high school and college All-American and after I was done with wrestling in junior college I had to help the family. My mom had a travel agency and it wasn’t doing too good so I had to back off from going full time at school or going to a University with a wrestling program just to help out the family. After about six months without any contact, I said, ‘since I can’t wrestle at a university, I’ll at least get into martial arts so there’s some kind of contact.’ I got into martial arts at the end of ’92 and I did some local tournaments. But I didn’t get serious about training until 93. In 94, I went on to the amateur San Shou circuit and just dominated.”

The pro kickboxing circuit followed, with Le becoming one of the most exciting and successful fighters in that realm, compiling a 17-0 record with 12 knockouts. Needless to say, with his striking prowess – especially with his trademark scissor kick – and his wrestling background, Le was a natural for mixed martial arts, and after some convincing, he put the four-ounce gloves on for the first time in March of 2006, knocking out Mike Altman in a single round.

Le became a star almost instantly in the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion based in his adopted hometown on San Jose, California, winning six of seven bouts over the likes of Frank Shamrock, Jason Von Flue, Tony Fryklund and Scott Smith. Le also picked up the Strikeforce middleweight title in 2008, but in 2011, he began his quest for UFC gold, and he didn’t get an easy mark in his Octagon debut at UFC 139, as he squared off with former PRIDE great Wanderlei Silva.

What resulted was a war that won Fight of the Night honors along with the headlining matchup between Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, a bout considered to be one of the greatest battles of all-time. And though Le lost to Silva via second-round TKO, he had made quite an entrance into the UFC. That was little consolation to such a competitor though.

“For me, it’s really hard to lose,” Le said in 2012. “It hurt just as much as when I lost the first time against Scott Smith, but it happens, and you can’t change it, so you’ve just gotta take from it. What I took from it was that I definitely know what I’m made of, because even though when I felt my nose get broken, I thought ‘I’ve got a good nose doctor and I can continue.’ If the round would have ended and if they would have let it continue, I would have gone back to my corner and said I’m gonna finish it. I definitely would not want to stop, and I would go out on my shield or have one of the greatest comebacks. It’s not the first time I broke my nose. My second MMA fight was the first time I broke my nose, and actually the bone popped out, but I finished the fight and ended up knocking the guy out. So it is what it is, I learned from it, and it’s definitely character building.”

Le bounced back in July of 2012, earning his first UFC victory with a decision win over Patrick Cote. Four months later he added another clip to his highlight reel with a first round knockout of former middleweight champion Rich Franklin in the UFC’s first visit to China. It was an important time for Le, as he became an ambassador of the sport in Asia, and someone pivotal in the filming of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. It wasn’t easy to expose new fans to the sport, but with Le’s background not just as a martial artist but as an action film star, it made the transition a bit smoother.

“Before I fought Rich (Franklin), we went on the press tour, and our first stop was Hong Kong,” Le recalled. “Ninety percent of the questions were ‘how was it to do this amazing fight scene with Donnie Yen.’ (Laughs) I had to push everyone to talk about the fight with me and Rich instead of talking about the movies I’m doing in Asia. I was popular in Asia more from what I did in that movie (Bodyguards and Assassins) with Donnie Yen, but then when people put one and one together, they’re like ‘hey, you’re fighting too?’”

Returning to the Octagon in August of 2014, Le gave a courageous effort before losing to Michael Bisping, and while martial arts will remain a part of his life, he decided that his active career in MMA is now something for the history books.

“Fighting will never be far from my heart and martial arts will always continue to be a part of my daily life,” Le wrote in Tuesday’s statement. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the career that I have been blessed with due in large part to all my fans and the many people who have helped me on my journey.

“I want to personally thank my wife, Suzanne, my three Little Ninjas, my Mother, Sister and the rest of my incredible family for their support, prayers and inspiration. I’d like to take this opportunity to personally thank Scott Coker for his long-time friendship and support of my career, Gary Ibarra for your tenacity, to Khoa Do for everything, Scott Sheeley, you know, and to Jane Estioko, thank you for your loyalty. I’d also like to thank all of my past and present USH Team Family members, I am grateful for every round.

“I'd like to recognize the UFC for the opportunity they have provided me, the sport of mixed martial arts, and more importantly the fans who love it, you will never be far from my heart. It has truly been my honor and my privilege to entertain you.”

Le retires from MMA with a 9-3 record.