Sean Sherk (Pictures) will not be stripped of his UFC lightweight title, UFC President Dana White told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. But while Sherk sits on the sidelines, B.J. Penn (Pictures) and Joe Stevenson will fight for an interim lightweight crown in January in Newcastle, England.
After his July 7 title defense against Hermes Franca (Pictures) in Sacramento, Calif., Sherk tested positive for having nandrolone metabolites in his system. The California State Athletic Commission suspended him a year and fined him $2,500.
Sherk denied using steroids and told Sherdog.com he has spent nearly $20,000 in legal fees to clear his name. His long-awaited hearing was postponed on Wednesday to Nov. 13 after the CSAC said the entire commission had not been able to review a pre-hearing brief.
Yahoo! Sports reported that White would not take Sherk's title because he is fed up with how the CSAC has handled the champion's case.
After his July 7 title defense against Hermes Franca (Pictures) in Sacramento, Calif., Sherk tested positive for having nandrolone metabolites in his system. The California State Athletic Commission suspended him a year and fined him $2,500.
Sherk denied using steroids and told Sherdog.com he has spent nearly $20,000 in legal fees to clear his name. His long-awaited hearing was postponed on Wednesday to Nov. 13 after the CSAC said the entire commission had not been able to review a pre-hearing brief.
Yahoo! Sports reported that White would not take Sherk's title because he is fed up with how the CSAC has handled the champion's case.