Wanderlei Silva

By FCF Staff

Wanderlei Silva has cleared one hurdle if he hopes to fight again, as a Nevada judge reportedly has overturned the lifetime ban the fighter was handed by that state’s commission.

Silva was banned for life, and fined $70,000 by the NSAC last year, after the former PRIDE champ failed to take a random drug test the commission had ordered. Later on, Silva admitted to taking diuretics, which are a banned substance.

According to a report from ESPN.com, Judge Kerry L. Earley has ruled that the ruling was “arbitrary, capricious and not supported by substantial evidence.” The judge did rule, however, that the NSAC was within its rights to discipline Silva, even though the veteran fighter was not licensed in the state at the time.

As a result, Silva will have to reappear in front of the commission for another disciplinary hearing.

The 38 year-old fighter hasn’t competed since March, 2013, when he knocked out Brian Stann. In recent months, Silva has been extremely critical of the UFC, who he remains under contract to, despite having announced his retirement last year.