Barnett cleared to return to action with public reprimand from USADA

Josh Barnett is finally free to take the Octagon again.

The USADA has imposed a public reprimand on the ex-UFC heavyweight champ in relation to his positive drug test for anabolic agent ostarine taken on Dec. 9, 2016 - the promotion's anti-doping partner announced Friday - thereby leaving him free to return to action.

Barnett's exoneration comes after he recently lamented his dealings with the USADA over the 15-month ordeal, but he was ultimately vindicated in arbitration following an evidentiary hearing on March 6. The anti-doping agency attributed the 40-year-old's flagged out-of-competition sample to a contaminated supplement and determined he'd done his due diligence in choosing his supplements, hence the slap on the wrist.

The former titleholder hasn't taken the cage since September 2016 when he submitted Andrei Arlovski in the main event of UFC Fight Night 93. He's alternated wins and losses over five fights since returning to the promotion in 2013.