UFC heavyweight Josh Barnett has been flagged for a potential anti-doping violation. UFC officials made the announcement on Tuesday.
“The UFC organization was formally notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Josh Barnett of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection on December 9, 2016,” read a statement provided by the fight promotion.
Barnett, 39, last fought in September, defeating Andrei Arlovski by submission. He’s currently ranked sixth in the heavyweight division.
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Barnett won the UFC heavyweight championship in March 2002 when he defeated Randy Couture by technical knockout at UFC 36. He was later stripped of the title before defending it after testing positive to banned substances. He returned to the UFC Octagon in 2013 after fighting mostly in Japan for 11 years. He’s gone 3-2 in his five fights since returning to the UFC.
It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed.
