A heavyweight tussle at UFC 136 next week has been scrapped from the main card, and a featherweight rematch has been bumped up to take its place.
The UFC announced Wednesday that a bout between Dave “Pee Wee” Herman and Mike Russow is off because Herman had to withdraw, and Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan has moved up from the preliminary card to the pay-per-view slot.
But later Wednesday, Herman told Clinch Gear Radio that it was a failed preliminary drug test that knocked him out of the bout, saying he tested positive for marijuana – but denying any use of the banned substance. Additionally, a source close to Russow’s camp told MMA Fighting that marijuana was indeed the culprit.
“I’m still trying to figure it out myself,” Herman told hosts Jeff Dotseth and Stephen Quadros. “Basically, they said I failed my drug test. I went in to get my drug test. A week later, they called and said they lost my urine specimen and I had to come back in and redo it. And I came back in and they said I failed it. It’s impossible.”
Herman (21-2, 1-0 UFC) denied any use of marijuana: “I don’t even smoke. I haven’t even had a beer in two months.”
Herman told the show the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which regulates MMA in the state, initially said he failed a first test, then failed a second for steroids. He also said the commission asked him to take a second test because it lost his first sample.
Herman won his UFC debut in June with a comeback win over Jon Olav Einemo that won Fight of the Night honors. The Indiana native has been training with Team Quest. Herman started his MMA career 15-0 with 15 stoppages – 14 in the first round, including a 3-0 stint in EliteXC.
Russow (14-1, 1 NC, 3-0 UFC) beat Jon Madsen in March after a long injury layoff. A source close to Russow’s camp told MMA Fighting the heavyweight does not yet have another fight booked.
Garcia and Phan’s rematch moves from the prelims up to the pay-per-view. The two fought at the TUF 12 Finale last December with Garcia winning a controversial split decision and Fight of the Night honors. Garcia was unsuccessful in March in another rematch from a controversial split decision win when he was submitted by Chan Sung Jung. Phan is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Mike Brown at UFC 133 in August.
UFC 136 takes place Oct. 8 at the Toyota Center in Houston. It will be the promotion’s first trip to Houston since UFC 69. The show, which will be preceded by a UFC Fan Expo on Oct. 7-8, features a pair of title fights – the rematch between lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, plus a featherweight title bout between champ Jose Aldo and Kenny Florian.