Sidney Outlaw Fails Drug Test, Replaced by Brent Primus in Bellator LW Grand Prix

Sidney Outlaw has been booted from the Bellator lightweight grand prix after testing positive for three banned substances in an out-of-competition drug test.

Associate of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports president Mike Mazzulli, who is in charge of regulation for the promotion’s overseas events, informed ESPN on Tuesday that Outlaw on Feb. 4 tested positive for ostarine, cardarine and anastrozole — all of which are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). As a result, Outlaw has been suspended for six months and removed from a 155-pound tournament matchup against Mansour Barnaoui at Bellator 296 on May 12 in Paris.

Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor module (SARM) known for increasing lean body mass; cardarine is a metabolic modulator believed to boost metabolism and increase fat burning; and anastrozole can reduce the side effects of performance enhancing drugs by reducing the estrogen levels in the body. Outlaw will be required to submit multiple clean drug tests before his suspension is lifted. He last appeared at Bellator 283, where he suffered a 27-second technical knockout loss to Tofiq Musayev on July 22.

Former lightweight champion Brent Primus has been tabbed to replace Outlaw in the grand prix, according to Bellator officials. Primus captured 155-pound gold with an upset victory over Michael Chandler in 2017 before losing the belt in a rematch the following year. The 37-year-old Sports Lab representative is coming off a second-round TKO defeat to fellow grand prix competitor Alexandr Shabliy at Bellator 282 this past June.

Bellator 296 takes place at Accor Arena in Paris and is headlined by a middleweight clash between Gegard Mousasi and Fabian Edwards. The promotion’s lightweight grand prix begins at Bellator 292 on March 10 with a showdown between reigning 155-pound champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson.