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| Josh Barnett photo via Sherdog.com |
by Steven Marrocco on Aug 29, 2011 at 5:10 pm ET
Josh Barnett has passed a pre-fight drug test and will be licensed to fight at a Sept. 10 Strikeforce event bearing his name.
Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato today confirmed the news to MMAjunkie.com.
"In fairness to this young man, he cooperated 110 percent," Profato said.
Barnett (30-5 MMA, 1-0 SF) meets Sergei Kharitonov (18-4 MMA, 1-0 SF) in the main event of "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov," which takes place Sept. 10 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. The heavyweight fight serves as one of two semifinal bouts in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix tournament with Antonio Silva vs. Daniel Cormier occupying the opposite bracket. The event's main card airs on Showtime.
Profato said additional drug testing is standard procedure for athletes who previously have failed a screen. The California State Athletic Commission, of course, denied Barnett a license to fight in summer 2009. Seven years prior, he was flagged for steroids following his title-winning fight against Randy Couture at UFC 36. He was later stripped of the title.
"So we had him tested, and we're satisfied that he's clean, as far as coming into the fight, and we're going to test all four of [the grand-prix fighters] plus a couple of random fights at the event," he said.
The test, which Profato said was an "extensive" procedure, took place 10 days ago at an independent, OAC-approved facility in Southern California.
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