Alistair Overeem denied license to fight, may reapply with NSAC on Dec. 27
LAS VEGAS – Alistair Overeem will be on the shelf until at least Dec. 27.
After a lengthy Tuesday hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Overeem was denied a license to fight in Nevada and must now wait nine months before reapplying with the commission.
The ruling was a bit of a concession from the NSAC, which has the right to enforce a one-year waiting period in such circumstances.
Today's meeting took place at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas.
Overeem's camp initially requested a continuance of 45-60 days in order to gather more expert testimony to support its client's case. However, following a brief deliberation with his fellow commissioners, chairman Raymond "Skip" Avansino elected to proceed with the hearing.
Overeem's attorney, David Chesnoff, asked the commission to consider granting his client a conditional license, basing his argument largely on the testimony of Dr. Hector Molina, who admitted to injecting Overeem with testosterone in January, as well as providing the fighter with additional doses to administer himself.
Overeem admitted to administering one of the doses of what Molina refereed to as "tetra mix" (a proprietary blend of anti-inflammatories, along with aqueous testosterone) on March 23 after consulting with the physician via phone. With nagging rib injuries bothering him during a press tour, Overeem said he phoned Molina and asked if it was safe to take another dose. Molina assured him that it was, according to Overeem.
Overeem then was tested on March 27 following a Las Vegas press conference designed to promote May's UFC 146 event, which was expected to feature Overeem vs. UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos. The test revealed Overeem had a 14-to-1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, more than twice the 6-to-1 ratio allowed by the NSAC.
Some MMA pundits suggested Overeem's camp would question the commission's right to even administer the test in the first place despite the former Strikeforce champ agreeing to random tests as part of a conditional license granted for him to face Brock Lesnar this past December at UFC 141. However, Chesnoff instead focused on his client's lack of understanding of precisely what Molina was injecting.
In a strange twist, Overeem first met Molina in June 2011, when Strikeforce held an event in Dallas. The Texas-based doctor worked with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation – the state's athletic commission – to inspect fighters competing on the June 18 event. However, the two described the relationship as strictly "professional" at the time.
In March, UFC and PRIDE veteran Tra Telligman, a Dallas resident, recommended Overeem visit Dr. Molina to address the lingering injuries, at which point Molina recommended and administered the "tetra mix," according to Overeem's team.
It was Molina who spent the most time in front of the commission, detailing precisely what happened during his examination of Overeem, as well as outlining exactly what was administered and why.
The commissioners appeared to offer some sympathy toward Overeem's plight but ultimately ruled that the fighter is indeed responsible for any and all chemicals consumed in any manner. However, commissioner Bill Brady noted that Overeem's exclusion from May's UFC 146 event has already cost him a large opportunity and full paycheck. Had Overeem failed a post-fight drug test, he would have likely been fined any win bonus and 30 percent of his show money, which would have left him with 70 percent of his paycheck. As such, the commission voted 4-0 to allow Overeem to wait just nine months rather than the customary 12 months before reapplying for a license.
The suspension start-date was backdated to the failed March 27 drug test, meaning Overeem is free to apply again on Dec. 27. While it would be a tight window, commissioner Francisco Aguilar suggested Overeem would be eligible for the UFC's customary year-end event, which is expected to take place Dec. 29 in Las Vegas.
In the meantime, the commission made it clear it doesn't want to see Overeem applying for a license or competing under the jurisdiction of another commission.
Following the ruling, Overeem declined a request for comment.
