Bellator lightweight Sidney Outlaw failed an out-of-competition drug test in connection with his Bellator Paris fight against Mansour Barnaoui and has been suspended for six months.
Outlaw came up positive for three separate banned substances: ostarine, cardarine and anastrozole, per Michael Mazzulli, who serves as the promotion’s regulator for overseas events. Outlaw’s suspension is retroactive to the date of his positive drug test on Feb. 4, ruling him out of the Bellator lightweight grand prix in a quarterfinal bout against Barnaoui. He is eligible to compete again on Aug. 4.
In Outlaw’s place goes ex-lightweight champ Brent Primus, who recently complained that he was left out of the $1 million competition, which kicks off at Bellator 292 on March 10 in San Jose, Calif.
Brent Primus tells @guicruzzz he “wanted to cry” after finding out he was left out of Bellator’s lightweight grand prix.
“I lost all motivation. It hurts really bad, man. It hurts really bad.” pic.twitter.com/C62KWhZyOc
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 19, 2023
ESPN.com first reported Outlaw’s positive test and Primus’ inclusion in the tournament. Mazzulli said Outlaw will also need to submit two to three clean drug tests before his suspension is cleared. He was not aware if Outlaw planned to appeal the result.
Mazzulli stated that all remaining contestants confirmed to the Bellator lightweight Grand Prix were drug-tested and returned negative for prohibited substances.
Ostarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), mimics muscle-building drugs and is banned at all times, per the World Anti-Doping Agency. There have been several instances where the compound was linked to tainted supplement cases. UFC fighters were able to reduce sanctions by linking positive drug test results to over-the counter supplements. Cardarine is classified as a hormone and metabolic modulator that’s been linked to several drug positives in the Olympics. An estrogen blocker, Anastrozole reduces the side effects associated with anabolic drugs. All drugs are prohibited at all costs.
Outlaw most recently competed this past July at Bellator 283, where he lost via TKO to Tofiq Musayev. After Michael Chandler’s unsuccessful attempt to win the lightweight title, Outlaw lost his two-fight winning streak.
Primus, who in 2017 beat Chandler to briefly hold the lightweight title before ceding it back six months later, most recently fought this past June, losing via TKO to Alexander Shabliy at Bellator 282. He is 3-2 since his pair of bouts with Chandler.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/21/23609221/sidney-outlaw-flunks-drug-test-brent-primus-enters-lightweight-grand-prix-at-bellator-paris?rand=96749
