Pat Healy, coming off the biggest win of his career against Jim Miller at UFC 159, made what is likely the most costly choice of his life when he said he smoked marijuana socially at some point before the fight.
Healy, in his UFC debut, finished Miller with a choke at 4:02 of the third round in a fight that was the highlight of UFC's most recent event on April 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Healy then tested positive for marijuana in the New Jersey Athletic Control Board's post-fight drug screening.
Healy (31-16, 1 no contest) confirmed the test result in a statement made Tuesday night. Sources close to Healy said he was suspended for 90 days. In addition, his victory was overturned and the match result is now ruled a no-contest.
Healy earned an announced $152,500, by far the biggest payday of his career, for facing Miller in the first fight on that night's pay-per-view show headlined by Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen.
But $135,000 of that figure was bonus money for Healy, who was working on his former Strikeforce contract that called for a $17,500 fight guarantee. $130,000 was for winning both the best fight and best submission bonuses. Another $5,000 was his win bonus.
All of that bonus money will have to be forfeited, since he no longer won the fight and based on UFC policy.
The company's policy is performance bonuses are not paid until drug test results come back, and that any failure results in the forfeiture of the bonus. Dana White confirmed as much Tuesday night.
UFC officials said they will release a statement on the failure late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Here is Healy's official statement below:
"I would like to start off by apologizing to the UFC, Jim Miller, the MMA community, its fans, my family, teammates and coaches for my positive testing for marijuana after my UFC 159 fight with Jim Miller. I was fully aware of the UFC and State Commissions drug policies and made poor life choices. I stand behind the UFC and State Commission's disciplinary actions. I support efforts to make MMA and sports a clean, safe and fair place to compete.
"First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge and take responsibility for my mistake. I made a very poor choice to socially use marijuana and now I must face the consequences of that choice. I can assure you that I will do everything the UFC and State Commission asks of me and beyond. I will also make a conscious effort to be a better role model within the MMA community."