Chael Sonnen passes pre-fight drug test for Bellator 170 headliner vs. Tito Ortiz

Bellator light heavyweight Chael Sonnen is off to a good start with his new promoter.

Sonnen passed a pre-fight drug test given earlier this month by the California State Athletic Commission, which will oversee his promotional debut opposite Tito Ortiz at Bellator 170. Ortiz has yet to be tested.

Three-time UFC title challenger Sonnen (29-14-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) was tested for a “full WADA panel” of banned substances with his sample processed at the WADA-accredited UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster told MMAjunkie. He was not tested for drugs of abuse, such as marijuana, since they are only banned in-competition. Foster indicated he plans to test Ortiz (18-12-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in the near future.

Bellator 171 takes place Jan. 21 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The event’s main card airs live on Spike following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Sonnen’s clean test keeps his Spike-televised headliner on track, and according to the fighter, it also saves his bottom line. In announcing his defection to Bellator earlier this year, he claimed that any drug failure would prompt his new promoter to take 100 percent of his purse and fine him $500,000, in addition to whatever suspension might be offered by an athletic commission overseeing his fights.

Sonnen, of course, is no stranger to the CSAC’s disciplinary proceedings. In 2010, he failed a post-fight drug test following a failed bid for the UFC middleweight title against then-champ Anderson Silva at UFC 117. He appealed a one-year suspension, arguing he had medical permission to use testosterone-replacement therapy, and had his term reduced to six months, though he was later re-suspended when the commission found he had made untruthful statements about permission to undergo TRT treatments.

In 2014, Sonnen again found himself on the wrong side of the tracks when he failed an out-of-competition drug test in connection with a proposed bout against Wanderlei Silva at UFC 175. He was subsequently suspended two years and announced his retirement from MMA, though he reversed that decision when his term expired.

The Bellator 170 headliner could serve as the former UFC light heavyweight champ Ortiz’s retirement fight. The headliners’ marquee value are expected to bring strong ratings for Bellator, which has leaned heavily on “tentpole” events to bump viewership.

For more on Bellator 170, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.