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08-06-2012, 01:16 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Location: Where I live? No I ask the questions here Posts: 18,554
|  Dana White still rooting for Chris Leben, unsure of timetable for his return to UFC
Dana White still rooting for Chris Leben, but unsure of timetable for his return to UFC | MMAjunkie.com  Quote:
Chris Leben is still a little more than three months away from being reinstated by the UFC, and already his boss is rooting for him when he returns.
Leben in November 2011 was suspended by the company for a year after testing positive for prescription painkillers oxycodone and oxymorphone after his UFC 138 main-event loss to Mark Munoz in Birmingham, England. It was Leben's second suspension for a failed drug test.
But this past week, UFC President Dana White said though he wasn't sure about a precise timetable for Leben's return, the middleweight has an important part of the UFC's history.
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"I don't know (when Leben will be back)," White said, "(but) I love Leben, too. He's a warrior, he always brings it and I'm happy he's got his stuff together again. I want to see that kid do well."
| Leben (22-8 MMA, 12-7 UFC) came to the UFC in 2005 as a cast member of the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter." While on the show, he was part of a rivalry with more than one fighter in the house, including welterweight standout Josh Koscheck.
Before his loss to Munoz and subsequent yearlong suspension by the UFC – since the promotion does its own regulating and testing for most international shows – Leben was on a 4-1 run, including wins over Wanderlei Silva, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Aaron Simpson.
At the time of his second suspension, White said he had no intentions of cutting the fighter, but rather hoped he would get help, if needed, and the UFC would have his back.
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"If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him," White said. "We want to see him succeed not only in the octagon but in his personal life."
| This past week in Los Angeles for UFC on FOX 4, White reiterated his hope for Leben to succeed.
Quote:
"When he walks away from this sport, I want to see him walk away with his gym, his business that he has, some money in the bank, a house paid off – all those things," White said. "He contributed a lot to this company. Season 1 of 'The Ultimate Fighter,' when the whole blowup with him and (Josh) Koscheck and Bobby Southworth happened, 2.3 million people tuned into that fifth or sixth episode – which were astronomical numbers at that time for that network.
"And Leben has put on some awesome fights in this company. I respect him, I care about him and I want to see him do well. I don't know (if he'll fight this year). We'll see."
| Leben's first suspension came after a 2008 loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 89, which also took place in the United Kingdom. After that fight, he tested positive for the banned steroid Stanozolol. He was suspended nine months for that incident.
Leben will be eligible to return the first week of November.
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__________________ There are many paths to freedom....not all are peaceful.
Last edited by Sakara=Excitement; 08-06-2012 at 03:05 PM.
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08-06-2012, 03:01 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Status: Champion Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,256
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I love watching Leben fight. He brings it win loose or draw.
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08-06-2012, 03:14 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Status: Karnageous Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: mA.A.d City Posts: 1,301
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Crippler has always been one of my favorites, can't wait to see him back! No idea who he will be matched against though
__________________ A tiger never loses sleep over the opinion of sheep. | |
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08-06-2012, 03:32 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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Status: Judge Jury & Executioner Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,391
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was hoping cat smasher posted here first love that new .gif but anyway i hope leben gets his shit together for good, he's not a kid anymore really no excuse for fing up after the bisping fight i want to see leben make a run at the title before he retires or scrambles his eggs id like to see him avenge the loss to bisping or dog koscheck into a fight at 185
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08-06-2012, 03:40 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Status: my boy using tv mote Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: BELLINGHAM. WASHINGTON Posts: 4,192
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his is going to have to give up smelling like booze and dirty hookers if he want's to keep putting the stamp on kids
__________________ 
yummy
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08-06-2012, 04:09 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Status: Champion Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,064
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WTF is up with Dana having this rose tinted view on Leben?
Why not just give him this stuff Dana if you love him so much?
He doesn't stand a chance in the MW division of reaching the top. The only thing he's gonna get is more injuries from training and fighting, (probably KO injuries as he'll be matched up with KO artists) which is probably the worst thing possible for a guy just coming off a prescription painkiller addiction, with a known problem of substance abuse and addiction.
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08-06-2012, 05:37 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Status: Karnageous Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: mA.A.d City Posts: 1,301
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FCK  WTF is up with Dana having this rose tinted view on Leben?
Why not just give him this stuff Dana if you love him so much?
| What are you, a five year old? 
__________________ A tiger never loses sleep over the opinion of sheep. | |
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08-06-2012, 05:53 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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Status: Leben 'em dead and maimed Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 13,760
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mma #1 fan his is going to have to give up smelling like booze and dirty hookers if he want's to keep putting the stamp on kids |
For the win! 
__________________ Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. | |
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08-06-2012, 06:09 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Status: Words here. Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,239
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"If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him," White said. "We want to see him succeed not only in the octagon but in his personal life."
| assuming part of that is drug counceling or whatever. if leben feels he needs it, good on the ufc for supporting him
__________________
"If it was old school MMA I would just take @bisping down and lay on him til he died of starvation."
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08-06-2012, 06:46 PM
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#10 (permalink)
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Status: Banned Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: 810 Posts: 6,527
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Leban vs. Lombard would be fireworks... Chris is just to guy to play into Lombard's game...
If not Diaz vs. Leban would be a great fight as well, if Diaz is looking for an exciting fight at MW... Yes I know, ill keep dreaming...
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