Tim Means ready to embarrass UFC 202 opponent for juicing allegations

Tim Means (25-7) takes on late-replacement Sabah Homasi (11-5) at UFC 202 on Saturday. The fight marks Means’ return from a six-month suspension, which USADA handed the 32-year-old veteran after a February drug test discovered a banned substance in his system. After an investigation the UFC and USADA were satisfied that Means’ positive test was the result of a tainted supplement.

Now vindicated in the eyes’ of his employer, and their PED watchdogs, Means is hoping to make up for lost time and continue his previously upward trend towards main-event status. With the USADA affair behind him Means told Bloody Elbow he, “feels great.”

“Life has some crazy turns and things are just really cool right now,” said Means. Means’ match on Saturday is the opening bout on the pay-per-view portion of the card. The billing, on what promises to be the year’s best selling event so far, has Means believing the UFC still sees value in him and that his suspension has done little to taint their opinion of him. “I know the UFC backed me with the whole ordeal with USADA,” said Means. “Right away, they got the information, and realized the manufacturer was hiding things,” continued Means, who then praised UFC drug-tsar Jeff Novitzky for his investigative work on the case. “[The UFC] could have shut the door on me and said, ‘Hey, you got caught,’ but to get the main card spot, to be the first fight on the pay-per-view with McGregor and Diaz, it’s just a great feeling to know I got bosses who are believing in me.”

Means’ suspension officially ended August 3rd. Means had long been assured by UFC matchmaker Joe Silva that he would have a fight ready for him as soon as he was cleared. However, his UFC 202 spot almost fell through when original opponent Sean Strickland withdrew due to an injury. According to Means Silva quickly contacted Means’ coach Tom Vaughn of FIT NHB to assure him that Means would still appear at UFC 202. Later Means would discover that UFC debutant – and American Top Team product – Sabah Homasi had stepped in.

Even if Means had had to wait for a later fight, he doesn’t bear any grudge for Strickland for pulling out of the fight with an injury. “Things do happen,” said Means. “I slipped and fell in a damn sauna.” Means’ feels he and his team will “probably see Strickland down the road”, but right now he is focused on Homasi – a man he didn’t know much about when their fight was announced.

how about @SabahHomasi vs @MeansTim #UFC202 . @MMA_Matchmaker make it happen! he just KOed “Macaco” like 30 minutes ago. #TheProblem

— Mike Brown (@mikebrownmma) August 6, 2016

“The first I heard about him was whenever Mike Brown did his little twitter post and said [Homasi] just knocked out Jorge Patino,” said Means. “I looked him up. He fought a fat out-of-shape Jorge Patino who had a bunch of fights, but is ultimately …

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