all the talk about the sport going mainstream is overblown. it's not. ufc
has nowhere near the fan base of nfl, nba, mlb. and in this point in
time they are lucky because if this number of athletes tested positive
for roids in one of those sports they be in some serious shit.
the press would be all over it and there might even be talk of
congressional hearings to clean up the sport. look at what happened to
baseball.
LOL @ the hearings by congress
They did JACK SHIT.
The players still run baseball... the testing is an absolute joke, still.
What do you mean? The congressional hearings did as much as congress always accomplishes.
It's not as bad as people are making it out to be, because fighters in MMA that test positive face long suspensions and fines.
It's not like other sports where someone may only miss a few games for a first offense. Or like when Ricky Williams was suspended from the NFL for all his failed drug tests (marijuana) so he went and played in the Canadian Football League for a season.
If they mainstream press covers this, they will see that yes the Champion tested positive for a banned substance, but (assuming it doesn't get dropped on appeal) he will be fined, suspended for a year, and most likely stripped of his title.
Look at the Tour de France. It has much stricter doping penalties but
sponsors are leaving the sport in droves because of all the doping.
Sponsors don't like drug scandals -- at least big money sponsors
don't.
Sponsors follow the money. Take Michael Vick. He is accused of KILLING DOGS down at the Bad Newz Kennel over the last 6 years. But Nike plans to release his signature sneaker next month regardless.
His case is slightly different, because he hasn't been found guilty, whereas it would appear that Sherk has. I'm merely pointing out that an advertiser or sponsor will not abandon a sport or athlete simply because of a little controversy. If there is a buck to be made, they'll make it.