MMA stars Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock both reportedly failed drug tests at Bellator 149 in February.
That’s according to Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting, who released a piece on Friday suggesting the pair “had banned substances in their system, per the results of pre-fight drug tests.”
Raimondi reported that both of the fighters "have been administratively suspended by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) pending an adjudication process.” It’s unclear what the tests detected in the samples.
The event, headlined by Shamrock’s clash with Royce Gracie, took place in Houston on Feb. 19 and was the most popular event in the promotion’s history.
The 52-year-old Shamrock lost in the first round via technical knockout, while Slice defeated Dada 5000 via stoppage in the third round. According to MixedMartialArts.com, that result has now been rendered a no-contest.
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani didn’t seem surprised by the report:
Just when you thought it couldn't get any ... Ah, forget it. https://t.co/y7ddjJ1NWq
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 11, 2016
Slice’s bout with Dada 5000 had to be stopped in the third round, with his opponent, whose real name is Dhafir Harris, suffering from exhaustion. As Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter reported, Harris fell into critical condition after the contest and needed to be resuscitated after his heart temporarily stopped.
As MMA Fighting’s Shaheen Al-Shatti noted, the maximum suspension the TDLR can administer is for 90 days—plus a $5,000 fine—meaning Slice and Shamrock could be back in action before the end of the year:
Best part about this: Texas only gives out 90-day suspensions because Texas, so we can get a Kimbo-Dada 5000 rematch by the fall.
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) March 11, 2016
Shamrock is an MMA icon, having been inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame. His professional record stands at 28-17-2; he also fought at UFC 1 and was the company’s first lightweight champion.
He has tested positive for banned substances in the past, though. In 2009, one of his samples contained three steroids, and he received a one-year suspension.
