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UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen has suffered a setback in his attempt to resume his controversial career. Sonnen fulfilled his six-month drug suspension issued by the California State Athletic Commission on March 2nd and was set to appear before Nevada’s governing body later this month to solidify his return.

Unfortunately for the 34-year-old, CSAC executive director George Dodd revealed Sonnen was recently issued an indefinite administrative suspension by the commission.

“It’s based off two things; One, his pleading guilty to his felony conviction up in Oregon, as well as possibly providing false testimony during his hearing back in December,” Dodd said on Tuesday. “Chael completed his suspension for the athletic commission just recently, so he still had time on his license here in California, and what we did, we put him on a California State Administrative Suspension for the remainder of his license, until he appeared before the commission.

“We sent Chael a letter and he’s requested to appear in front of the commission to appeal his suspension.”

Sonnen is scheduled to appeal the CSAC’s decision on May 18th.

After pushing middleweight champion Anderson Silva to the brink of defeat in a submission loss at UFC 117, Sonnen produced a failed drug test following the August 2010 bout. Shortly after that, the former realtor would plead guilty to money laundering in a Federal Courthouse.

This past December, Sonnen’s attorneys and physician argued their client had been undergoing Testosterone Replacement Therapy since early 2008 and had previously disclosed his testosterone usage to NSAC executive director Keith Kizer.

His clearance through Kizer was one of the primary reasons, if not THE reason, the commission reduced Sonnen’s one-year suspension in half. Kizer did not attend the appeals meeting in Cali, therefore could not refute Sonnen’s claims. However, Kizer has done so on multiple occasions since.

Last month, Sonnen admitted to “choosing the wrong words” when making his defense in front of the CSAC.