The Nevada State Athletic Commission disciplinary hearing for former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva does not have a set date in March, but according to a story published by Brazilian website UOL on Saturday, the MMA icon and his team are preparing his defense, with Silva reportedly planning to admit to using several banned substances.



The report makes clear that Silva will insist that his use of performance enhancing drugs wasn’t to gain an advantage on his opponent, but rather as an aid in his recovery from the broken leg suffered in his December 2013 loss to Chris Weidman. Lawyers will also argue that the amount of the substances found in his system were minimal, thus giving him no advantage over his January 31 opponent, Nick Diaz.



Silva is currently on a temporary suspension from the NSAC after testing positive for the steroids Drostanolone and Androstane on January 9, and Drostanolone on January 31 following his UFC 183 bout against Diaz. Silva tested positive Oxazepam (an anti-anxiety medication) and Temazepam, a drug used in treatment for sleep deprivation.

As for his use of the other substances, for which he also failed NSAC testing, Silva will reportedly claim that the physician-prescribed drugs, which combined produce a calming effect similar to Valium, were intended to aid in his recovery from back spasms and muscle pain that began for him when he was hospitalized last November.