Siver (photo via UFC.com)

By FCF Staff

Dennis Siver’s record may not include his decision win over Manny Gamburyan at UFC 168 soon enough, and the featherweight veteran is claiming a new training regiment is the reason why.

Recently it was reported that Siver tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), following his UD victory over Manny Gamburyan at UFC 168 in December. The Nevada State Athletic Commission is expected to announce its disciplinary action soon, which will likely include a suspension and overturning the result.

The 35 year-old veteran has reportedly released the following statement to the German MMA publication Ground and Pound.de, regarding the situation:

“Today I would like to issue a public statement and give my fans and supporters the opportunity to form their own opinion on how the alleged doping allegations against me came about.

Last fall, my coach Niko Sulenta was diagnosed with severe cancer, which lead to me being on my own during the preparations for a UFC fight for the first time, without me being able to draw on his longstanding care and advice. Niko has always been essential to my weight reduction.

So prior to UFC 168 I had to hire an external personal trainer and nutrionist to support me with making weight. The nutrionist recommended me a new diet method from the US, which had been successfully used by the stars. Thereupon I asked, if I, as a competitive professional athlete, could safely use this supplement. This was confirmed to me. Then I committed the fatal mistake of not making sure through the UFC if individual substances from the supplement could have effects on the drug tests.

I flew to the US and won my fight. I was all the more shocked when the result of the A sample was deemed ’inconclusive’ and I was hoping for the result of the B sample. They found a small component of hCG in my urine sample – a minor ingredient of the diet preparation and a substance which is banned in the UFC.

I do not want to blame anyone for this result and I take full responsibility for my gullible and careless behavior. It was my mistake and it was grossly negligent. But I distance myself from any kind of doping. In my previous sixteen UFC fights, not even the smallest banned substance has been detected. This makes the current events all the more disappointing and shocking for me and my team.

Signed: Dennis Siver“

The former lightweight has gone 3-2 in his last 5 contests and has only lost to Cub Swanson since cutting down to 145.