UFC president Dana White addressed the indefinite suspension handed down by the Nevada Athletic Commission to Wanderlei Silva on Tuesday. Silva, who announced his own self-imposed retirement days before the ban, was also fined $70,000.

“I think he was trying to put up a smoke screen. Look over here because he does it a few days before he’s about to go in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission,” White told UFC.com. “The guy ran from a drug test. I’ve been saying it for a long time that he was going to get something serious.”

Silva stated on Twitter that he planned to fight the suspension, which effectively ends his career in the UFC. Despite leaving the promotion due to the decision to not take a drug test and the subsequent ban, White isn’t going to attack “The Axe Murderer.”

“I’ve never said a bad thing about Wanderlei Silva in my life,” he said. “I’ve always respected the guy and there is no way that guy can ever say that myself or Lorenzo Fertitta ever disrespected him. There’s nothing more that needs to be said.”

Silva, who turned 38 years old earlier this year, last fought in March 2013 when he knocked out Brian Stann. His overall MMA record sits at 35-12-1, including highlight wins over Cung Le, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Kazushi Sakuraba and Dan Henderson.