The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) issued former pound-for-pound best MMA fighter Anderson Silva a temporary suspension pending a full disciplinary hearing before the commission, MMA Weekly reports.

While the hearing has no definite date yet, Silva is scheduled to face the commission in March.

The decision comes after the Brazilian tested positive in a January 9 out-of-competition test, where results revealed traces of anabolic steroid metabolites for Drostanolone and Androstane.

The former UFC Middleweight champion tested clean in another out-of-competition test in January 19, but subsequently tested positive again for Drostanolone, along with two benzodiazepine class drugs"”Oxazepam, and Temazepam"”commonly used to treat anxiety-related insomnia.

Prior to this string of drug-related controversies, Silva has never tested positive for banned substances in close to 20 years of his illustrious career.

Within the past year, two of Silva's Black House teammates have also tested positive for Drostanolone.

Earlier, NAC executive director Bob Bennett commented on Silva's case, "I can't speak for the [NAC] Chairman nor can I speak for the commissioners, but something I find particularly concerning is that [Silva] tested positive on January 9 and then he tested negative on January 19. If he took this orally, it only stays in your system 5-7 days," he told ESPN.

"So obviously, he used it sometime around January 9 and then he used it shortly before the night of the fight. Whether the commission finds this egregious"”that he tested positive twice out of three times"”is up to them. I certainly find it concerning and unacceptable. It gives an unfair advantage to the person on that. God forbid, a serious injury were to occur to an opponent when someone is on something."

Amidst all these, Silva has maintained his innocence, telling MMA Weekly, "I have not taken any performance enhancing drugs. My stance on drugs is, and will always be, the same. I'm an advocate for a clean sport."