UFC president Dana White announced late Friday night that Alistair Overeem has been pulled from the main event at UFC 146 and Frank Mir will now face Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title.
Taking off to Atlanta!!!! May 26 th is now Mir vs JDS for the HW title in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand.
— Dana White (@danawhite) April 21, 2012
Overeem, who defeated Brock Lesnar in December to earn a title shot, was slated to face Dos Santos, who is 8-0 in the UFC, in the main event but he failed a pre-fight drug test following a press conference to promote the event. Overeem tested positive for high levels of testosterone.
The native of the Netherlands is scheduled to appear in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission on April 24 where he will have to explain the failed drug test in an effort to gain a fight license. His last license expired at the end of 2011.
Mir (14-5) is a former UFC heavyweight champion and is coming off a submission win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 140 in Toronto. Mir was scheduled to fight Cain Velasquez in the co-main event at UFC 146. Velasquez has not yet been given a replacement opponent.
UFC 146 takes place on May 26 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
