Means out of UFC Fight Night 83 vs. Cerrone after potential drug violation
Tim Means will have to make other plans for the night of Feb. 21.
Means was slated to fight Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in the main event of UFC Fight Night 83, but was busted for a potential drug violation Wednesday night.
The UFC issued a statement on the matter:
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.
Means acknowledged the violation on his Twitter account, saying it "came out of left field," and denied he took steroids:
Never even heard of ostarine! Look at my physic. Do I look like a steroid user! Lol.
— tim means (@MeansTim) February 4, 2016
MMAFighting.com's Guilherme Cruz reports Alex Oliveira has offered to move up to 170 pounds to fight Cerrone as Means' replacement, provided he can get a visa.