Alistair Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC) us unlikely to fight champion Junior Dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) for the UFC heavyweight title this summer at UFC 146.
Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the No. 1 heavyweight contender failed a pre-fight drug test conducted this past Tuesday following a press conference for UFC 146.
Overeem's "A" sample was flagged for an elevated T/E ratio that exeeded 10-to-1, well over the 6-to-1 limit. Kizer said the heavyweight has the right to request the test's "B" sample, which, if negative, would make him eligible to receive a fight license.
The former Strikeforce champion was among six top-billed fighters who were tested for the all-heavyweight pay-per-view event, which takes place May 26 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. All were tested for diuretics, masking agents, anabolic steroids and T/E ratios in addition to drugs of abuse.
Dos Santos, Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, Roy Nelson and Antonio Silva all passed their tests.
It's not the first time Overeem has run afoul of the NSAC. He was granted a conditional license to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 after missing a pre-fight drug test ordered by the commission, which reinstated out-of-competition testing this past July.
Answering to the commission via telephone during an NSAC hearing held three weeks prior to UFC 141, Overeem said he missed the test because he had flown back to his native Holland to care for his ailing mother and wasn't made aware of the obligation. When he got word, he submitted an invalid blood test conducted by his personal doctor and then submitted urine that wasn't tested.
The NSAC gave him a license on the condition that he submit to a drug test conducted by an accredited laboratory, which he did two days later (and subsequently passed), as well as pass a drug test upon arriving in the U.S. for the Lesnar fight and submit to two random tests.
This past Tuesday's test served as one of those random tests, which also followed a fight-night test at UFC 141.
Because Overeem's conditional license expired on Dec. 31, the NSAC will not receive a disciplinary complaint against him as it does for licensed athletes. Instead, he will need to appear before the commission should he choose to apply for a license, which notably, hadn't been filed for UFC 146.
With one half of May 26's event on the shelf, the UFC may give one of the main-card heavyweights an impromptu title shot.
Source: Alistair Overeem fails pre-fight drug test, likely out of UFC 146 title fight
