Tim Means flagged for potential USADA violation, out of UFC Fight Night 83 main event bout with Donald Cerrone

Tim Means is out of a main event fight with Donald Cerrone later this month at UFC Fight Night 83, with the UFC revealing on Wednesday that he’s been flagged for a potential violation of the USADA anti-doping policy.

Here’s the statement from the UFC:

The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Tim Means of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection.

USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full and fair review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. However, because Means was scheduled to compete against Donald Cerrone on February 21 in Pittsburgh, there is insufficient time for a full review and proper promotion before the scheduled bout. As a result, UFC will announce shortly a replacement opponent for Cerrone on the UFC Fight Night card in Pittsburgh.

Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.

As noted, the UFC is planning to find a replacement to meet Cerrone on the card in Pittsburgh, which airs live on Fox Sports 1 later this month.

Penick’s Analysis: Well then. The USADA testing has been increasing in the new year, and catching one of the UFC’s headliners is further sign that they’re taking their role seriously here, and that the process at least to date is what they’ve said it will be. It’s always going to be disappointing to see fighters flagged in these random tests, despite almost none of the drug test failures coming as a surprise, but it’s especially disappointing to have a main event fall through because of it. Hopefully Cerrone’s replacement opponent can be as intriguing as Means was on this card.

[Photo (c) Gary A. Vasquez via USA Today Sports]

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