Former UFC Champion Suspended, Bellator 178 Results, UFC Fight Night 108 Preview

- The UFC returns tonight with UFC Fight Night 108 from Nashville, Tennessee and the Bridgestone Arena. In the headline bout, featherweights Cub Swanson and Artem Lobov square off on FOX Sports 1.

Joe Rogan previews the contest in the video above. Swanson has hung around the division for years as a top challenger, while Lobov is coming off a win and is a training partner of Conor McGregor.

- Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir was handed a two-year suspension by the USADA for taking a banned substance in 2016. Mir, who lost to Mark Hunt, will be eligible to return in early 2018 after serving the suspension.

The USADA released a complete statement:

USADA announced today that UFC athlete, Francisco (Frank) Mir, of Las Vegas, Nev., received a two-year sanction after multiple positive tests for a prohibited substance.

Mir, 38, tested positive for a long-term metabolite of dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT), following an in-competition test conducted on March 20, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 85 in Brisbane, Australia. DHCMT is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. The finding of a long-term DHCMT metabolite in Mir's sample, which was identified through a new detection method by the WADA-accredited laboratory in Tokyo, Japan, led to Mir being provisionally suspended from competition on April 8, 2016.

Upon learning of the positive results of the sample analyzed in Tokyo, USADA had all previously collected stored samples for Mir reanalyzed at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah (SMRTL), which had also recently implemented methodology for the detection of newly identified long-term DHCMT metabolites. As a result of the additional analyses, SMRTL discovered that an out-of-competition sample Mir provided on February 5, 2016, which had previously been reported to USADA as negative for the presence of prohibited substances, was also positive for the same long-term DHCMT metabolite found in Mir's in-competition sample.

As investment and commitment to anti-doping research increases, significant advancements in laboratory testing methods have allowed for improved sensitivity and longer detection windows. By continually utilizing the most advanced testing methods as part of a comprehensive retesting program, USADA aims to maximize both the deterrence and detection of doping so athletes who seek an unfair advantage are held accountable now and in the future.

Mir's two-year period of ineligibility began on April 8, 2016, the date on which he was provisionally suspended from competition.

Pursuant to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, all UFC athletes serving a period of ineligibility for an anti-doping policy violation are required to remain in the USADA registered testing pool and make themselves available for testing in order to receive credit for time served under his or her sanction. Furthermore, if an athlete retires during his or her period of ineligibility, the athlete's sanction will be tolled until such time the athlete notifies USADA of his or her return from retirement and once again makes him or herself available for no-advance-notice, out-of-competition testing.

USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. In an effort to aid UFC athletes, as well as their support team members, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on the UFC Anti-Doping Program website (UFC.USADA.org) regarding the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (UFC.GlobaDRO.com), conducts educational sessions, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, and periodic athlete alerts.

- Patricio "Pitbull" Freire made quick work of Daniel Straus, winning back the featherweight title Friday night at Bellator 178. The event, which aired on Spike from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, featured the fourth meeting between Freire and Straus.

Straus had won the last encounter, but the Brazilian locked up a submission to improve to 3-1 vs. the now-former champion.

Complete results are below:

* Patricio "Pitbull" Freire def. Daniel Straus via submission (guillotine choke) at :37 of Round 2 to become Bellator featherweight champion

* Ilima Macfarlane def. Jessica Middleton via submission (armbar) at 2:15 of Round 1

* Saad Awad def. Ryan Quinn via unanimous decision

* A.J. McKee def. Dominic Mazzotta via KO (head kick) at 1:15 of Round 1

* Remo Cardarelli def. John Lopez via unanimous decision

* Kastriot Xhema def. Nick Alley via KO (strikes) at 3:19 of Round 1

* Blair Tugman def. Tom English via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:54 of Round 3

* Jordan Young def. Tim Caron via submission (D'arce choke) at 3:55 of Round 1

* Ed Ruth def. David Mundell via TKO (strikes) at 3:13 of Round 2

* Tyrell Fortune def. Branko Busick via unanimous decision

* Chris Foster def. Shane Manley via split decision

* Don Shainis def. Mak Kelleher via unanimous decision

* Reginvaldo Carvahlo def. Jay Perrin via submission (guillotine choke)

* Kemran Lachinov def. Sam Watford via split decision