Longtime Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight Chris Leben, when not being immortalized in plastic, is making good use of his time away from mixed martial arts (MMA).
"The Crippler" yesterday (June 21, 2012) tweeted a pic of his newly-earned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt, awarded under Sidney Silva, himself a black belt under Professor Gutenberg Melo.
Leben is currently serving a one year suspension by the UFC after failing a post-fight drug test (Oxycodone and Oxymorphine) following his loss to Mark Munoz at UFC 138 last November in Birmingham, England. It was the second time Leben returned dirty, the first coming after his unanimous decision loss to Michael Bisping following UFC 89 back in October 2008.
ZUFFA helped one of its original "Ultimate Fighters" get into rehab and following his treatment, he's been able to make significant progress during his recovery.
Video of Leben (via The Underground) getting beaten like a rug under the gauntlet of whipping belts, after the jump.
Ouch!
For more on Leben's Octagon absence click here.