Midnight Mania! The Big Ticket’s Big Suspension

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

UFC Heavyweight veteran Walt Harris will not be appearing inside the Octagon anytime soon.

In July 2023, Harris’ planned bout vs. Josh Parisian was canceled due to a positive drug test. Harris blamed the cancelation and drug test failure on a tainted supplement, but since then, there’s been no update on how his case has developed. Back then, he was working with United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), but the company overseeing UFC drug testing is now Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD).

CSAD doesn’t appear to have bought the tainted supplement excuse. UFC released an official statement earlier on Wednesday (March 20, 2024) detailing the CSAD decision, revealing all the substances that Harris failed for and announcing his massive suspension. The statement can be read in more depth below, but the short version is that Harris bombed the test for two different kinds of anabolic steroids (drostanalone and testosterone) and an aromatase inhibitor (anastrozole), which help prevent estrogen levels from rising during a steroid cycle.

As a result of that nuclear urine, Harris has accepted a 48-month suspension. He’ll be eligible to return in July 2027, at which point Harris will be 44 years old.

Check out the UFC statement below:

Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced today that Walt Harris, of Pelham, Alabama, has accepted a 48-month sanction for two separate violations of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.

Harris first tested positive for drostanalone, its metabolite 3a-hydroxy-2a-methyl-5a-androstan-17-on, and testosterone of exogenous origin in samples collected on June 24, 2023 and July 12, 2023. Harris was notified of the first adverse finding on July 11, 2023.

Subsequently, and after he was notified of the June 23, 2023 adverse finding, Harris provided urine and blood samples on August 6, 2023. His urine sample was positive for the presence of anastrozole, a new prohibited substance that was not present in any of the previous samples, as well as drostanolone and its metabolite. His blood sample tested positive for the presence of exogenous testosterone, which based on its values, was determined as new administration since the notification of his first adverse finding on July 11, 2023. Drostanolone and testosterone are anabolic steroids and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy (UFC ADP) and UFC Prohibited List. Anastrozole is an aromatase inhibitor, also prohibited at all times, under the UFC ADP and UFC Prohibited List.

Harris’ 48-month period of ineligibility began on July 11th, 2023, the date he was notified of his provisional suspension as a result of his first positive test result.

Maybe CSAD isn’t as lax as fans were expecting?

Prior to his suspension, Harris had lost three straight fights, all via stoppage. Given his age, losing streak, and suspension, Harris may end up retiring. Alternatively, he could request his release from the promotion and take his talents elsewhere.

Insomnia

Canelo Alvarez says show me the money! That’s a lot of zeroes.

It’s hard to have sympathy for Sean Strickland when he’s a d—k most of the time.

Every once in a while, a Conor McGregor clip pops up this is genuinely likable and hilarious.

Zhang Weili has one of the best side kicks in the business.

So, who’s excited for another Marcin Tybura main event after UFC Vegas 88? Booking him opposite top contenders in their home country is a proven recipe for success!

K-1 is keeping it real from this point forward.

Dagestani basketball is my favorite MMA offshoot sport.

I have sympathy for Benoit Saint Denis. Faced with a gross staph infection, the Frenchman had to choose between fighting diminished or pissing UFC off by withdrawing/possibly losing out on the Dustin Poirier match up. No win situation!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Look at the impact on this spinning backfist! Beautiful slow motion.

… A decidedly less effective spinning backfist.

Kumura’s right kick is a thing of beauty.

Random Land

A compilation of clips that could all be their own selection.

Midnight Music: Rock, 1965

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.