Former number one welterweight contender, Karo Parisyan, has tested positive for several painkillers, including Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone and Oxymorphone, following his controversial split decision win over Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim at UFC 94: "St. Pierre vs. Penn 2" at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 31.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today passed along the results to MMAmania.com.
"The Heat" has recently battled a nervous disorder, as well as injuries, which forced him out of a match against Yoshiyuki Yoshida less than 24 hours before showtime back in September 2008.
Parisyan talked openly about his recent challenges during our recent interview with him, conducted on January 26, five days before the fight against Kim.
He said that he was injury-free going into the Kim fight and that the sciatic nerve injury that prevented him from competing in the Yoshida fight was no longer an issue and hadn’t been for quite some time. In his words:
"I’m injury free. But the most important thing with me is mental, bro, just because of the panic attacks. And I’m mentally fine. Mentally, I’m ready to go into battle."
He also confirmed that he had been prescribed medication (Xanax) to deal with the panic attacks, but that he thus far had avoided taking the medication:
"Why (didn’t I) take them? Because I wasn’t having a panic attack, (but) I was so crazy about what was going on with me, what I’m gonna do, etc., etc. I was like, well, I have medication for that, but I’m scared. I don’t want to take that fucking medication right now, just because it might make it worse for some reason. I was just trying to deal with the panic attacks, so I never took medication. And if it happens, God forbid, please God forbid, then I’ll probably pop a Xanax, and it’ll probably put me to sleep or something. I don’t know what it does."
Parisyan also stated that he hadn’t had a panic attack for "about five or six months." To read more from Parisyan’s perspective on his long-running battle with this disorder, including what he thinks triggers an attack, go here.
The finding could be a serious one. Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (which is about six to eight times stronger than morphine) all come with relatively high levels of dependency for regular users. They are all prescription-strength painkillers.
While there will no doubt be speculation about this recent turn of events, remember that Parisyan is innocent until proven guilty. He could face a fine and possible suspension by the NSAC, which he would be allowed to appeal.
More on this breaking news as it becomes available. All of the other fighters tested from the UFC 94 event passed their respective screenings for illegal/banned substances.
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