Tag: UFC 225

CM Punk’s UFC 225 loss overturned due to Mike Jackson’s positive marijuana test

Three years later, MMA Junkie has learned that CM Punk had one loss removed from his professional MMA record.

It’s been more than three years since Phil “[autotag]CM Punk[/autotag]” Brooks stepped foot inside a UFC cage.

For the duration of his absence from MMA competition, everyone – Punk included – thought his record stood at no wins with two losses. As it turns out, that’s not the case.

MMA Junkie learned through a Freedom of Information Act request and subsequent confirmation from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that Punk’s unanimous decision loss to [autotag]Mike Jackson[/autotag] at UFC 225 has been overturned to a no contest.

The change in result to the June 2018 fight, which wasn’t reported publicly until now, stems from Jackson testing positive for marijuana on fight night. On June 9, 2018, the night of UFC 225, Jackson tested positive for “tetrahydrocannabinol due to marijuana,” according to a commission disciplinary document obtained by MMA Junkie. Jackson’s discipline was finalized in October 2018 with all parties’ signatures.

As a result of his positive test, Jackson’s win was overturned and he was suspended three months retroactive to the positive test. It’s unknown if Jackson was handed any further discipline such as a fine; the public disciplinary action document alludes to the possibility of further discipline.

“The official result of a full contact martial arts bout can be changed to a ‘no contest’ as an outcome of an adverse post-bout disciplinary finding against a contestant,” Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation public information officer Chris Slaby told MMA Junkie in a written statement on Wednesday. “As detailed in the consent order provided, Mr. Jackson tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol due to marijuana following the June 9, 2018 UFC event at the United Center in Chicago.”

Prior to UFC 225, fighters received a memo weeks in advance warning them about Illinois’ strict marijuana policy.

“Because of Illinois’ no tolerance policy for marijuana, we recommend that marijuana use be discontinued for anyone participating on the UFC 225 card between now and the event,” the memo read (per MMA Weekly).

At the time of publication, neither Punk nor Jackson has returned request for comment.

Jackson, 36, has not competed since UFC 225, though he remains on the promotion’s roster and was briefly linked to a fight against Irish prospect Dean Barry in early 2021.

Meanwhile, Punk, 42, has remained in the public eye of MMA fans as a cageside commentator for Cage Fury Fighting Championships, which streams on UFC Fight Pass.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24 free fight: Curtis Blaydes bloodies Alistair Overeem with elbows for finish

Ahead of his return at UFC Raleigh, relive Curtis Blaydes’ brutal finish of Alistair Overeem at UFC 225.

They don’t call him “Razor” Blaydes for nothing.

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] was heading into his highest profile fight to date, when he took on [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] in June 2018 at UFC 225. He entered having won his last three in a row, or quite possibly five, if his second-round TKO over Adam Milstead hadn’t been overturned because of a positive drug test for marijuana.

Blaydes (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) put on his best performance, using his strong wrestling to get Overeem on the mat and brutalizing him with heavy ground-and-pound in Round 3.

After a feeling-out process early, Blaydes eventually landed the takedown midway through Round 1, finishing the round on top. Overeem started Round 2 a little more aggressively, landing a knee and clipping Blaydes with an overhand right, forcing him to shoot. Overeem latched onto a guillotine, but Blaydes was able to break free. The two would make their way back to their feet before Blaydes took it right back to the mat.

But in Round 3, Blaydes started to open up more, backing Overeem to the cage with some hard shots that appeared to hurt him. He decided to change levels and take down Overeem, signaling the beginning of the end.

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After some top control, Blaydes postured up and dropped one elbow after the other, which opened a nasty gash on Overeem’s head. A couple more elbows, and the referee was forced to stop the fight.

The finish earned Blaydes a “Performance of the Night” bonus, and the two would later end up becoming training partners, as Overeem made the trip to Colorado to train with Blaydes at “Elevation Fight Team.”

Blaydes returns to action this Saturday, when he headlines UFC on ESPN+ 24 against former UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos. Blaydes’ only two career losses have come to the same man, Francis Ngannou, as Blaydes will attempt to solidify himself as a top heavyweight contender with a win over dos Santos.

In the meantime, watch the video above to check out one of Blaydes’ finest performances.

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