The UFC 148 main event between UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and rival Chael Sonnen is in the headlines again after actor and martial artist Steven Seagal made an appearance on MMAFighting.com's popular show The MMA Hour as a guest of host Ariel Helwani.

Seagal, who has been associated in recent years with the Black House training camp and its impressive roster of fighters - most notably Silva and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida - spoke with Helwani about the upcoming UFC Middleweight Championship rematch between Silva and Sonnen, suggesting that Sonnen had an unfair advantage the first time the fighters met, at UFC 117 in August 2010.

"Chael last time had an extremely unfair advantage," Seagal told Helwani. "that whole deal with - I don't know what it's called, steroids, or whatever, performance-enhancing drugs.... I think this time, probably he'll be a little more careful with that, and I think that will even the playing field."

Sonnen, of course, was suspended following the fight with Silva after prefight testing showed elevated testosterone levels. He was initially suspended for a year, but had the suspension reduced after testifying before the California State Athletic Commission that he undergoes testosterone replacement therapy to treat hypogonadism. As such, it's understandable that Seagal would consider Sonnen as having an unfair advantage.

There's just one problem, though: Sonnen received a therapeutic use exemption for TRT ahead of the July 7 rematch, so whatever advantage the "Gangster From America" might have had two years ago is an advantage he'll still have come July 7 in Las Vegas. The only exception is the rib injury that Silva was revealed to have after the fight, which Seagal also discussed on Monday.

"The last time," Seagal said. "Anderson may have had cracked ribs, and I told him not to fight and his doctor told him not to fight. This time it'll be a more even playing field."

With all due respect to Seagal, who has a black belt in Aikido and taught the Japanese martial art at his own dojo before embarking on his film career, the idea that he advises fighters like Silva on when to fight or not fight does no favors to the sport of mixed martial arts and the UFC in particular. Whether or not he was truly the inspiration behind the brilliant front kick Silva used to dispatch Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 (see video) or the Karate Kid-esque crane kick Machida used against Randy Couture at UFC 129, Seagal has become a popular culture punchline due to the direct-to-video films and reality TV exploits that have defined his career in the last decade.

Fair or not, Seagal's presence around the UFC does no good to the sport, particularly when the UFC already has the most compelling matchup of the summer on tap in the Silva vs. Sonnen rematch. With questions swirling as to whether Sonnen can dominate Silva again the way he did for the better part of five rounds, Seagal's presence is nothing more than a distraction, bordering on a sideshow act, and best left behind before Silva walks to the Octagon on July 7.

"I don't know if I'll be in his corner," Seagal said of Silva, "but I am planning on being there."

For the good of the UFC and MMA in general, let's hope that Seagal's presence is limited to a seat in the crowd.