Dave Herman sternly denies Marijuana use

In an interview with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), the UFC heavyweight sternly denied using marijuana prior to his since-canceled fight with Mike Russow at next week's UFC 136 event.

But he admitted that he was recently around those who used the drug, which may have caused him to fail a pre-fight drug test requested by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

"Everybody out here kind of smokes," he said. "Marijuana is legal in California. Maybe it's just being in the same room. I don't know. I see people smoke every day."



Herman, who trains at Team Quest in Murrieta, Calif., took the pre-fight test two weeks prior at a local Request A Test drug-testing facility contracted by the TDLR.

In an interview Wednesday with Clinch Gear Radio, Herman said the facility called him back a week later to request a second test because his first one had been lost. He went in the same day and did the test, and on Wednesday, he received a denial of license from the TDLR.

Herman tested positive for marijuana but tested clean for steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

Susan Stanford, the public information officer for the TDLR, today spoke to MMAjunkie.com and confirmed Herman's denial but declined to offer any details on the reasoning behind the decision. She did, however, say the commission has in the past year beefed up pre-fight testing of all types – previously, drug testing was only performed at the request of the promoter – and said the TDLR has the right to order additional testing it feels is necessary.

Herman has the right to appeal the license denial, Stanford said, though he has not been suspended or sanctioned in any way other than for his license at UFC 136. The heavyweight said it's unlikely he'll appeal.

Attempts to reach the Request A Test facility in Murrieta were unsuccessful.

Herman said he hasn't heard from the UFC since the denial, though he expects to fight again at a later date. Russow, meanwhile, will get the "show" portion of his fighter purse, according to manager Monte Cox.

UFC officials declined comment other than to confirm Herman tested positive for a banned substance and will not be allowed to fight.

"It's disappointing," Herman said. "I've probably worked harder and trained harder for this fight than any fight in the past, and then not to go through with it, (it's) definitely a letdown. But you've got to make the most of it. (I) still got up, came in to practice, and I'm just working on getting better."

That said, he's considering different ways to pass the time before fights.

"I like to go out and have fun, and when you're training for a fight, you can't go hang out with your friends at night," he said. "You've got to go home and sleep and try to recover for your next practice. But it gets kind of old and repetitive after a while. I need to start playing new video games, find some new hobbies."