When it was revealed that Alistair Overeem tested for an elevated ratio of testosterone-to-epitestosterone, almost everyone immediately jumped on the thought that Junior dos Santos would get an opponent change for his May 26 title defense. Almost everyone targeted Frank Mir as the most likely, and most deserving, option.
UFC officials did not make and immediate change, and UFC president Dana White fanned the flames of speculation when he tweeted in response to a fan question on Twitter that Frank Mir would still be fighting Cain Velasquez.
How quickly things change.
Following Friday night’s live fight on The Ultimate Fighter, just before taking off to Atlanta for Saturday night’s UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, again turned to his favorite social media platform to inform everyone that Overeem has been removed from the UFC 146 title fight with dos Santos.
“Taking off to Atlanta!!!! May 26 th is now Mir vs JDS for the HW title in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand,” tweeted White.
It’s unclear why the change came just days before Overeem was slated to go before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to offer up his reasoning for a T/E ratio of 14-to-1 at a surprise drug screen in March. A normal ratio for most men is 1-to-1, although the NSAC set a ratio of 6-to-1 before an athlete is considered beyond the allowable limit.
The announcement, however, isn’t a good indicator that Overeem is likely to be successful in arguing his case to the NSAC.
With little more than a month to go until UFC 146, company officials have little time left to promote the new title fight, but don’t be surprised if they start at UFC 145 on Saturday night.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/breaking-frank-mir-steps-fight-041652199--mma.html
