Bigfoot Silva Says UFC Doctor Nearly Gave Him Cancer, Wants Travis Browne Rematch In September
UFC heavyweight Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva has been inactive since failing a post-fight drugs test back in December of 2013. The former EliteXC heavyweight champion got popped for elevated testosterone level after his fight of the night battle with Mark Hunt in Brisbane, Australia, but claimed it was the fault of the UFC doctor that prescribed him his TRT.
Nonetheless, the fight was changed from a majority draw to a no-contest, and Silva gave up his post-fight bonus as well as receiving a nine month suspension for the infraction.Now eying a September return to action, Silva sat down with MMAFighting.com to discuss the controversial ‘doctor’ Marcio Tannure that has apparently caused him so many woes:
“After the suspension, I went to two endocrinologists and they told me I should thank God that I was suspended,” he said. “They said that if I continued taking the dosage (of hormone) Dr. Tannure told me to, I would have liver cancer in a year. I had videos showing him injecting (TRT) on me, I had emails and everything, but I had to give up on (suing him)”
Now that testosterone replacement therapy is a thing of the past, Silva should never have to worry about being overdosed on the controversial treatment. As far as his comments on potentially getting liver cancer, they are rather concerning. Tannure, of the CABMMA, may have a lot to answer for in the coming months (if he still has a job).
“I will be cleared to fight in September, and there’s a show planned for September 13 in Brazil, a day before my birthday. Fighting in Brazil would be the best birthday gift of all times. I attended to several UFC events in Brazil and it would be a dream coming true to fight there one day.”
“It hurts so much to be out right now,” he said. “I was born to fight. I’ve done this since I was 4 years old. It’s hard to see all the fights in the division and not be able to get in there. I went down the rankings, I’m number four now and Travis Browne is number three. “It would be a wonderful fight for me, for sure,” he said. “He’s a super tough fighter and is well ranked. I want to fight the best and would be great to fight him.”
Silva and Travis Browne first met in 2012, when ‘Bigfoot’ knocked ‘Hapa’ out in the very first round. Browne recently got taken back a step in his title hunt, as Fabricio Werdum battered him over five rounds at UFC on Fox 11. It would make sense for the rankings, and there were questions surrounding the first fight.
Browne injured his leg in the first fight, which many fans believe led to the eventual finish by Silva. What do you think, would you like to see Browne and Silva have a do-over in Brazil?
