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Leben Tests Positive for Drugs of Abuse, Suspended One Year

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All things considered, maybe Chris Leben should stay out of England.

The UFC announced that former TUF 1 bad boy Chris Leben tested positive for the painkllers Oxymorphone and Oxycodone after his loss at UFC 138 to Mark Munoz. As a result, Leben has been suspended for one year by the promotion.

This is the second time in as many trips to England that Leben has failed a drug test. He had previously tested positive for steroids after his decision loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 89, which was held at the same venue in Birmingham, England.

Leben also has two DUI’s to his record, which leads some to speculate that these incidents are part of a larger addiction problem for the middleweight. UFC President Dana White didn’t seem to rule that out with his statments on UFC.com: “If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him. We want to see him succeed not only in the Octagon, but in his personal life.”

Leben was contrite in his own statement: “I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and sport of mixed martial arts…I’m learning that I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I can’t succeed in the Octagon or in life behaving this way. I’ve got to make some real changes over the next year and I’m going to focus on getting my life and career back on track. Again, I’m sorry to the UFC and fans that’ve supported me since my days on The Ultimate Fighter.”

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