[bears9]

Sean Sherk, a former UFC lightweight champion who was stripped of the title after his his suspension from a failed UFC 73 drug test was upheld by the California State Athletic Commission, says he will next fight in April — possibly at an April 19 UFC 84 event in Montreal.
In an interview with sportsnet.ca, Sherk said UFC officials recently told him he’d fight in April and that he hopes it’ll be at the Montreal event.
Sherk hasn’t fought since July 7, when he posted a unanimous-decision over Hermes Franca in his first title defense. However, the 34-year-old tested positive for elevated testosterone levels and the anabolic steroid Nandrolone, more commonly known as Decadurabolin, during the Sacramento, Calif. event. Sherk appealed, but after a series of delays, the commission ultimately cut his one-year suspension to six months but upheld the $2,500 fine. (He’s eligible to fight again on Jan. 3.)
Soon after the news that Sherk would serve a suspension, UFC President Dana White confirmed that the organization had stripped the fighter of the title.
Sherk maintains that he’s innocent and said that Quest Laboratories may have botched the testing of his urine sample by allowing “carryover” in their testing machines. He also cites bloodwork and a lie-detector test that signified his innocence.
However, even though the commissioners opted to cut Sherk’s suspension in half, they didn’t budge from their stance that he tested positive for the steroid.
In today’s interview, Sherk also states that the UFC will likely give him an immediate title shot, meaning he could face the winner of Joe Stevenson vs. B.J. Penn — who fight next week at UFC 80 for the vacant UFC lightweight title — in Montreal.

Sean Sherk Possibly Returns in April; Two Title Fights at UFC 84?