UFC fighter Alistair Overeem’s run to the heavyweight title ended on Wednesday morning Australian time, when the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed down their punishment after Overeem showed elevated testosterone levels.
The MMA world had been focused on this hearing since the test results, obtained after UFC 146, were released in early April. Those interested weren’t disappointed, given the two hours spent discussing the events that contributed to testosterone levels elevated by a factor of 14:1.
Overeem’s defence revolved around a rib injury that was troubling him, and the prescription received when he sought treatment from Dr. Hector Oscar Molina, a Texas-based practitioner who Overeem had met through a Strikeforce event in 2011.
Dr Molina injected Overeem with a self-concocted anti-inflammatory which contained the testosterone, apparently unbeknownst to the fighter. Overeem self-injected with the same substance on March 23, as the injury was still troubling him. The test came on March 27th.
Both the vial taken on the 23rd and another full vial were presented to the Nevada Commission as evidence, and Overeem’s team were looking for a conditional license, similar to what was received before the UFC 141 fight against ex-UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (5-3).
In that case the conditional license was granted after Overeem missed a drug test while he flew back to Holland. The terms surrounding the license meant that Overeem was subject to more tests, which he had since passed.
Overeem also withdrew on April 20th, before the hearing, from his scheduled title fight against Champion Junior Dos Santos (14-1) on May 26th. This was in order to concentrate on the issues at hand, and also to prove that he is a clean fighter.
The commission did decide to deny Overeem a license to fight, however he is able to reapply after nine months, backdated to the date of the failed test on March 27th. This means that if a licence is forthcoming, he should be able to fight on the traditional New Year’s card.
The commission also maintained their position that a fighter must know what they are putting in their body and encouraged the heavyweight to prove he was clean within his nine-month break before re-appearing for a licence.
The UFC haven’t indicated the future for Overeem, however with a deep division, there can be other fights arranged in the meantime while Overeem sits out. While his first fight back probably won’t be a title shot, it won’t take too long for the fighter to get back on the title contender journey.
Let me know what you think; was the commission too soft or too harsh on Overeem?
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