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James "the Sandman" Irvin tests positive for painkillers

sherdog.com — After getting squashed by Anderson Silva (Pictures) in a minute and one second during their July 19 UFC light heavyweight tilt on Spike TV, the Sacramento native has allegedly tested positive for the non-approved analgesic painkillers Methadone and Oxymorphone according to a post-fight urinalysis conducted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

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  • yawkey, on 07/30/2008, -3/+7Can you blame him? I can't.
    • jmcorro, on 07/30/2008, -0/+4I'm around one of the c-level UFC fighters and I know that to even be at that level you pretty much have to be a full time fighter. The problem is that you HAVE to take fights when they're offered just to keep bills paid. Many times c-class fighters will only be brought in when a scheduled fighter is injured and has to bow out of a fight...in those cases you have to up your training to seriously high levels on short notice making you more vulnerable to injury since the ramp up in intensity is so steep.
  • anderzole, on 07/30/2008, -1/+32He'll need some more painkillers after Silva f'ed him up in less than 45 seconds.
    • yohnstoppable, on 07/30/2008, -0/+9in all fairness he lasted 16 seconds longer than you give him credit for :D
  • orangefly, on 07/30/2008, -1/+10glad that fight was free....it's always a gamble paying for stuff like that....you wait through all the ***** for a ten second ass kicking....
    • unknownsoldierX, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1I'll never forget going over to a buddy's house to watch Mike Tyson's return in 2003, against Clifford Etienne. The fight was $40-50 on pay-per-view and the match only lasted 49 seconds.
      • dafragsta, on 07/30/2008, -0/+2Which is why UFC is still a much more entertaining show. It doesn't matter if you know who the guys are. If you do, it just gives you more to talk about before the fight, but if you don't, it's still such an open format, it's not just left punch, right punch, left punch all night. The rounds are longer so there are a lot more knockouts as well.
      • yournightmare, on 07/31/2008, -0/+1Yea, there being more knockouts in MMA has to do with the rounds being longer and nothing to do with the much smaller gloves or the fact that knees, shins, elbows, forearms, and feet hit people in the face and head, and nothing to do with the fact that a good Muay Thai kick hits as hard as a baseball bat.
    • TrevorBelmont, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1In the case of the UFC, "all the *****" is other fights so I never mind a flash knockout. Frankly, they are awesome.
  • thrallie, on 07/30/2008, -7/+9Oxymorphone is really quite fun.
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/31/2008, -0/+1Yes but it's not exactly a performance enhancing drug, quite the opposite. It's also the major metabolite of oxycodone which is likely what he was taking.
      • yournightmare, on 07/31/2008, -0/+1Why is it likely that he was taking oxycodone instead of Opana (oxymorphone)?
  • ihavebeenseen, on 07/30/2008, -3/+13The Sandman more like Glass Joe
  • MWeather, on 07/30/2008, -10/+3Holy *****, you mean these guys typically don't use heavy painkillers? That's hardcore.
  • MysticSavage, on 07/30/2008, -3/+2No kidding...punches hurt!!
  • Baylow, on 07/30/2008, -2/+10Oh, poor Sandman. This is what happens when you fight real competition
    • Ironspork, on 07/30/2008, -0/+5Hate to be the nay-sayer, but Houstin Alexander is real competition... The man has brutal knockout power.
  • subliminali, on 07/30/2008, -2/+18hopefully this gets a much lighter punishment than if he had been using steroids...I agree that hardcore painkillers should be banned so that fighters don't force their bodies beyond their limits but its still hard to blame him for trying to recover from his injury in time to fight.
    • ssn697, on 07/30/2008, -0/+2Methadone is part of his "recovery"?
  • Nidy1, on 07/30/2008, -3/+8Heh...analgesic.
  • republicker, on 07/30/2008, -7/+1what a pussy /sar
  • OMGWTFROFLMAOx2, on 07/30/2008, -8/+3This just makes Anderson Silva look more beastly than he already is. Silva = Pound for pound best fighter in the world (for now)
    Yes, better than Fedor (barely), GSP, and Faver. I said it.
    • grungegbunny, on 07/30/2008, -1/+1I agree. Silva could beat their asses.
    • ssn697, on 07/30/2008, -2/+2Would have been better if you said FABER, and even better if you didn't have him in your top 4 P4P. Good fighter, but WhoTF has he fought to be even considered in the P4P top echelon?
    • TrevorBelmont, on 07/30/2008, -2/+1How does Anderson Silva being able to beat someone up who is woozy and high make him MORE beastly?
  • donkz, on 07/30/2008, -5/+8...and you still ***** lost.
    • CrackyJSquirrel, on 07/30/2008, -0/+5Not sure you get it.. pain killers are not performance enhancing drugs..
    • indio007, on 07/30/2008, -1/+1maybe cause he was high? or withdrawing......
  • highlymodified, on 07/30/2008, -3/+11Maybe this is a stupid question, but what good is drug testing AFTER a championship match?
    That's like on-the-job drug testing after someone quits.
    • Hodor, on 07/30/2008, -0/+12because fighters sometimes take painkillers and / or stimulants between rounds or just before a fight.
    • jmcorro, on 07/30/2008, -2/+0If you drug test before the fight then there's still a window after the drug testing, but before the actual fight to take some banned substance. Assuming you can get enough blood from say pricking the finger tip then I suppose you could do it immediately prior to them walking out to the ring, but you'd still have to wait for the results. Chances are you have to take blood w/ a needle like when you do for normal lab blood work which means you have to take blood several days before the fights so that the arm isn't sore on fight night.
    • grungegbunny, on 07/30/2008, -1/+1It's so pricking their arm with a needle doesn't upset the athletic skill.
    • highlymodified, on 07/30/2008, -0/+2There was no needles involved. It was urinalysis, the piss test. They could have done it right before and right after, assuming he was hydrated.
    • ssn697, on 07/30/2008, -1/+2It is a good question, and there is a big push to get testing before AND after fights.

      Think about it: suppose Irvin was on illegal drugs, and BEAT Silva? No one would remember the after fight test. They would remember Silva losing, thus really hurting his drawing power in later fights.
    • TrevorBelmont, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Not to undermine your question but it wasn't a championship fight.
  • SexyFarts, on 07/30/2008, -4/+1Irvin was never really that good anyway. He's was just used as a gatekeeper to test Silva at 205. Silva looked scrawny and malnourished at Middleweight, but always had a size advantage on his opponents. He looks more natural at 205 and won't have such a huge advantage against the likes of Rampage, Liddell, Griffin, and hopefully a matchup with Wandy...Silva vs. Silva would be a Muay Thai slugfest to watch out for
    • ignitionnate, on 07/30/2008, -0/+0Silva never looked scrawny or malnourished at 185. He's obviously good at cutting weight and not suffering from any negative effects, as he typically comes into the cage weighing like 210lbs, and proceeds to lay the smack down on anyone in his way.
  • ShitStainedBall, on 07/30/2008, -3/+1What sucks most is that now that the MMA fights are gaining popularity, more and more fighters are under tremendous pressure to do well. The money is awesome for a guy who has like 3 fights per year and trains the rest making him a machine. Some fighters, like in the baseball league, will start using illegal drugs to enhance their performance so they stay on top. I hope it doesn't end like all the other steroid scandals.
    • Ironspork, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Judging as most of the MMA leagues have a no tolerance policy, and just boot any of the guys who dope, I doubt it's going to go very far that way.
  • abdo, on 07/30/2008, -2/+1So he got his nickname for being a punching bag?
  • JoeRockEHF, on 07/30/2008, -1/+11Imposter...The Sandman I know is always drunk.
    • MRintheKeys, on 07/30/2008, -0/+0and carries a singapore cane.
    • TrevorBelmont, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1I think you're talking about his Russian friend, Soda Popinski.
  • ShooterMcGavin, on 07/30/2008, -4/+2Yeah... and?...
  • PosedMagnet, on 07/30/2008, -4/+2So?

    Is this a problem or something?
  • snoox, on 07/30/2008, -4/+1I can understand taking painkillers for the pain you might have to endure but I would think that the would slow you down too much
  • BXRWXR, on 07/30/2008, -12/+3Who cares? If they want to take drugs, let 'em.

    That MMA crap should be to the death anyway.
  • ignitionnate, on 07/30/2008, -4/+1Dugg for sherdog.com, the best news site for MMA action.
    • yohnstoppable, on 07/30/2008, -1/+1Sherdog is terrible for news. Their writers are abysmal. The only good writer they had was Gross, and he's gone. For news, mmajunkie, wrestlingobserver, mmamania are much better.

      Not to say it's worthless by any means. Some of the sub forums (NOT HEAVYWEIGHTS) are pretty useful
    • ignitionnate, on 07/30/2008, -0/+0Alright, maybe not "Best", but certainly an unbiased site, one not under the thumb of Dana White. I can't stand Kevin Iole's coverage and there are too many other sites that cover the UFC like it's the only organization out there.

      Sherdog Radio Network helps fill my day at work too.
      • ssn697, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Just stay away from the forums. Reading a couple posts there instantly lowers your IQ...
  • withears, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1On the upside, he tested negative for rational behavior.

    So he's got that going for him.
  • MacDevyn, on 07/30/2008, -1/+2Maybe he's in pain...
  • PolishLogic, on 07/30/2008, -1/+1Interesting concept. Painkillers prior to a fight = ability to take more punishment. It would definitely increase the possibility of watching a guy end up like Duk Koo Kim. That sort of "unknown" makes for some serious PPV cash.

    Kim v. Mancini (so memorable)
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThQFPJpVtK8
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/31/2008, -0/+1Indeed. It's definitely not performance enhancing in the traditional since. The real question is if they find this unacceptable then what about alcohol?
  • inotocracy, on 07/30/2008, -3/+2Oh gee willickers, pain killers being used by a pro fighter!
  • jokerpkt, on 07/30/2008, -1/+8"it don't hurt"
    http://i35.tinypic.com/2upd46e.jpg
  • kookbutt, on 07/30/2008, -1/+2Figures, Irvin is a second rate fighter anyways. He needs to stick with third tier lever fight leagues like BoDog.
  • mnemy, on 07/30/2008, -2/+2I can't see them coming down on him too hard. He broke his heel in May, and accepted a fight on short notice. He probably went through hell getting ready for the fight without using heavy painkillers, and probably took some for the fight so that his barely healed heel wouldn't be a distraction. Who knows though, maybe the painkillers were a distraction in of themselves. He certainly didn't have much fight in him, but who would vs Silva? As an amateur fighter, that guy scares the ***** out of me. He's unstoppable.
    • mnemy, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Actually, on second thought, the UFC will probably use it as an excuse for modifying his contract to pay him less money for future fights. Dana's a punk like that. Hopefully the competition (EliteXC, Affliction, etc etc) will force UFC to treat their fighters better in the near future.
    • TrevorBelmont, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Yeah, the Nevada Athletic Commission is known to have a soft heart when it comes to illegal use of drugs.
  • DOUBLEZER00, on 07/30/2008, -6/+0Anyone remember all the ***** he was talking before the fight? "I'm representing all the 205ers and it's up to me to tell Silva that he's in the 185 division for a reason...." You did a great job representing both in and out of the cage buddy. At least he didn't go off in a driving...Rampage...after his loss. The 205 division is beginning to look like pussies.
  • Chickenlip, on 07/30/2008, -9/+2***** You! 2 of my friends died overdosing on painkillers
  • elilyons, on 07/30/2008, -2/+0I wonder how long after the fight they test. I'm not a fan of the Sandman, but is it possible you can take the painkillers right after the fight and before the test causing a positive test?
  • Jrohan, on 07/30/2008, -2/+0in the words of brad nowell "if rhymes were valiums i'd be comfortably numb"
  • orlyfactor, on 07/30/2008, -5/+2Who gives a *****?
  • Trax416, on 07/30/2008, -2/+1In case anyone was wondering, the NSAC and CSAC both test for steroids/drugs before the fight, not after.
  • jtsf43, on 07/30/2008, -2/+1he also tested positive for awesomeness when the doctors saw his 'bad boy club' angry face tat.
  • reconflux, on 07/30/2008, -7/+1***** you! 2 of my friends really died at the hands of Anderson Silva... Too bad he can't defend from ankle locks. Ryo FTW!
  • rowlodge, on 07/30/2008, -1/+1watched that silva fight, wow!, kind of like mike tyson, waited all that time for a 30 second fight. ive never watched that stuff before but i knew there was somethin going on.
  • pksynths, on 07/30/2008, -1/+7Sorry but those weren't taken as painkillers. Oxymorphone is known as cowboy smack. Same effect as heroine but not illegal to carry if you get busted with a small amount.

    Methadone is what heroine addicts are given to get them off the junk. ***** you up as bad as heroine but legal with the right paperwork.

    He's a smack head.

    That definitely explains the knockout and the *****-tastic tattoos. You'd have to be high as ***** to get some of his pieces.
    • indio007, on 07/30/2008, -0/+4Methadone is the worst by far. I've seen it change personalities . I don't know how you make a heroin injector more of an ***** but this ***** sure does it.
      They actually PAY YOU to get high on this stuff in Mass.
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/31/2008, -0/+1Why the hell not? As narcotics they ALL kill pain and it's not exactly shocking that that might not be a bad idea if your going to take this much punishment. Methadone is indeed a legitimate prescription pain killer albeit prescribing for this purpose is rare. There IS in fact a black market for it. Now the oxymorphone is a direct metabolite of oxycodone better known as oxycontin but it's also common in compounded preparations in low doses. It's certainly possible that he is an addict but in no way is it a guarantee.
  • ColonelTribune, on 07/30/2008, -3/+2Ultimate fighter gets caught taking painkillers. Now THERE'S a news flash.

    Dugg anyway.
  • BobNoxious211, on 07/30/2008, -2/+1What, no anabolic steroids?
    tsk tsk tsk
  • 223Sniper, on 07/30/2008, -2/+1well, thats what UFC gets for trying to scrape together too many bouts too quickly
  • Philbert, on 07/30/2008, -3/+2What? Someone has a headache? Stop the presses!
  • highlymodified, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Good call.
  • lineweight, on 07/30/2008, -3/+1Pussy.
  • chadsterrr, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Silva destroyed him anyways... awesome
  • sq2shooter, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1Methadone? WTF? There are much better pain killers out there, unless he is a recovering heroin addict.
    • bipolarruledout, on 07/31/2008, -0/+1Hence the oxymorphone found.
  • ZombieSociety, on 07/31/2008, -1/+1You mean a person who gets punched in the face for a living takes painkillers?

    NO WAI
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