“I’m definitely not a cheater.”
Walt Harris is coming clean … not long after his pre-fight drug test came back dirty.
The heavyweight veteran was recently pulled from his UFC Vegas 77 showdown opposite Dana White’s “Contender Series” standout Josh Parisian because of an “issue” with USADA, though Harris did not reveal the specific substance that got him flagged.
“I wanted you to hear from me first that my fight has been cancelled due to an issue that just came up with my most recent USADA test,” Harris wrote on social media. “I believe this came from a supplement that I’ve trusted my entire career, but at the end of the day it was never USADA approved. I’m a complete idiot for not checking prior, but I’m definitely not a cheater.”
Harris and Parisian were scheduled to collide on the UFC Vegas 77 main card this Sat. night (July 15, 2023) on ESPN and ESPN+ from the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. It’s unlikely the promotion will try to keep Parisian in the lineup with just three days to go.
“I sincerely apologize to my opponent Josh Parisian,” Harris continued. “I was looking forward to doing battle with you in the Octagon. Once I get past this if you’re down I hope we can try again! I am going to face this head on while working with UFC and USADA and hope to have all of this sorted out in the coming weeks. Thank you for your patience and support and I am looking forward to making this comeback very soon.”
The 40 year-old Harris (13-10) was making his UFC return after a two-year hiatus, one that ended with three straight losses — all by way of technical knockout. “The Big Ticket” will have to demonstrate that his supplement was to blame (it happens) or face a possible fine and suspension.
To see the reworked UFC Vegas 77 fight card and ESPN/ESPN+ lineup click here.