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Despite the many trials and tribulations he's faced in his career, the UFC has kept Leben around, giving him multiple chances to get things back on track. After this latest issue, he believes he's on the right path.
"When the news of my failed drug test went public, it was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to me," Leben said in an interview with Duane Finley at BleacherReport.com. "It's no secret I've had a lot of battles in my personal life and with basically fighting for over 10 years without ever taking a break off, I developed a pretty strong habit for pain medicine. Not only did it help with the pain, but I was also self-medicating for anxiety. I had a lot of issues and it's kind of hard when you grow up the way I grew up and the next thing you know you are thrown in the public eye."
"I had some personal relationships that hit me and damaged me pretty hard. Because of that, over the past few years I really developed a habit for pain medicine. In hindsight, looking back it was all self-medicating because I was having a difficult time living in my own skin. What happened happened, and my performances in my fights showed I wasn't healthy, physically or mentally. Dana White, the Fertittas, and Joe Silva were all so awesome. Obviously I got suspended for a year and it has been hard trying to balance everything financially, but the UFC helped get me into a rehab. Me taking that time to get away from everything, go to rehab and counseling, and now it's gone full circle."
Leben says that failing that test last year allowed him to address these issues that have plagued him, and he feels that ultimately it was the best thing for him.
"Now I go to a youth correctional facility every week," Leben said. "Every Tuesday I'm up there for a couple of hours working with the kids, and I'm working very hard to speak out against prescription medicine abuse and drug abuse in general; overcoming some of the issues I've dealt with in my life and what are the right and wrong ways to handle those things. Where I'm at now, the person I am now, I can actually look in the mirror and be comfortable. Had my issue not come out and been public, who knows what would have happened? I certainly know my career would have been cut a lot shorter and my life would have only gotten worse."
"Now my life is 100% sober and things are better for me than they've ever been regardless of the fact I'm broke and I've had to deal with a lot of people saying less than nice things about me. Honestly, being able to take care of this issue has meant everything. The UFC recognizing I have a problem and I'm not a bad person, helping me take care of that issue is the best thing that has ever happened to me."
Penick's Analysis: You want to feel for Leben and believe that this time he's going to make a change for good. He's become somewhat of a tragic figure for the UFC, but he's not beyond redemption. His return bout this December is a chance for him to come back strong, come back sober, and show that he can be consistent from fight to fight. Hopefully everything he says here is how his situation is right now, and how it will be going forward. If not, last year's drug test failure will be just another in a long line of issues that may continue to pop up for Leben going forward.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_14474.shtml
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