Junior dos Santos was all set to make his first UFC Heavyweight title defense against Alistair Overeem at UFC 146 on May 26 in Las Vegas. Then Overeem went and tested hot for elevated testosterone levels in a surprise drug test after a press conference.
While it’s not yet official that Overeem will be suspended — there will presumably be a hearing to decide that — it seems highly likely that the Dutch K-1 and Strikeforce champ won’t get to fight for the UFC title in May. That means a replacement will have to be found and on relatively short notice with just a little over 7 weeks until fight time.
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The most likely suspect is Frank Mir who was set to face former champ Cain Velasquez at UFC 146. Mir’s riding a three fight win-streak, including a classic come back win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogeira at UFC 140.
Velasquez seems less likely since he just lost the title to JDS at UFC On Fox in November. None of the other heavyweights on the card: Roy Nelson, Gabriel Gonzaga, Antonio Silva, Mark Hunt, Shane del Rosario, or Stefan Struve are remotely ready for a title shot.
Fabricio Werdum, who’s currently expected to face Mike Russow at UFC 147, would be an excellent substitute for Mir against Velasquez.
Who would you like to see get the call up?
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