Bloody Elbow, for MMA and UFC news

James Irvin misses weight by 12 pounds - KSW 15 according to prommanow.com: Former UFC competitor James Irvin came in 12 pounds heavy for his 185-pound KSW 15 title bout against top European fighter Mamed Khalidov. However, the fight will still go on as a title match on the March 19 event in Warsaw, Poland.

James Irvin tests positive for epitrenbolone metabolite of trenbolone, an anabolic steroid. Shark Fights cancels James Irvin vs. Houston Alexander according to MMA Weekly: Shark Fights has canceled an upcoming fight between James Irvin and Houston Alexander due to an alleged positive drug test for Irvin following his last fight in California. The promotion made the announcement on Wednesday after a Sherdog.com report stated Irvin had tested positive for steroids following a fight against Jorge Oliveira at Tachi Palace Fights last December. Shark Fights 14 coverage

James Irvin will move back up to light heavyweight and face Igor Pokrajac at UFC on Versus 2, according to MMA Weekly. Also on tap: Paul Kelly vs. Jacob Volkmann at UFC 116, according to MMA Junkie. UFC 116 coverage UFC on Versus 2 coverage

Dana White says he won't allow James Irvin to cut to 185 lbs again: "No more 185(-pound fights) for him," White told MMAjunkie.com. "He didn't look good. I think he's got a lot of scar tissue in his face under his eyes. That was sticking out more than his eyeballs were. He didn't look good [at weigh-ins]." "I'm a huge James Irvin fan," he said after the fight. "I'm a fan of the guy; I really am. He's had some of the best knockouts in the UFC, and he always comes to fight. Tonight, it looked like the cut killed him. He couldn't get off. He couldn't throw any punches tonight. He was basically getting lit up by Sakara, and that's not James Irvin. That's not who he is as a fighter. The 185 cut is too hard for him." HT: MMA Junkie, Photo HT: MMA Weekly UFC on Versus: Jones vs. Vera coverage

James Irvin talks about his battle with methadone and oxymorphone: "The Anderson Silva fight, I have 25 stitches across my cheek from when he blasted me," the mixed martial arts fighter told The Canadian Press. "Every day when I look in the mirror, I have a clear reminder of what those drugs did to me and what lies ahead of me if I was ever to start using that garbage ever again." "It wasn't until a time that I just stopped taking them that I realized I needed them just to keep on functioning," he said. "At that time I had become an addict and I was hooked on them. "I needed to get caught," he said. "I needed to get in trouble for it and wake me up and get off of those things." "I'm trying to get [reach out] to fighters, but it's kind of a taboo thing," said Irvin. "I don't think fighters want to talk about it. Fighters definitely don't want to admit that they have a problem with it when it's obvious they do because more and more fighters are getting caught with the stuff and getting caught with it in them." Full interview at tsn.ca UFC on Versus: Vera vs. Jones coverage [vs. Alessio Sakara]

Alessio Sakara talks James Irvin's debut at 185, looking for three in a row: "I'm 3-1 since I joined ATT," Sakara said. "The problem before was that I didn’t have them behind me, but now I'm very relaxed." "I know that cutting weight for the first time in a new division is tough, but each fighter reacts different - [James Irvin] he can either suffer or not," said Sakara. "But I'm going to be ready for everything. I'm here to show a magnificent trio in one fighter, an experienced Sakara who has KO power, aggressiveness, and technique, all at the same time. I’ve tried to do that since my beginning in the UFC, but in my defeats I learned where I had to improve. Now with a great squad it's easier, and even in my victories I had the same will to add the things that would help me become a better fighter. Irvin will be a test of all of this." Full inteview at ufc.com UFC on Versus: Vera vs. Jones coverage

James "The Sandman" Irvin, now completely healed from injuries that have kept him out of action for over a year, is set to return and finally make his middleweight debut at either UFC 111 or UFN 21, both scheduled for March. HT: MMA Weekly

Just days after his original opponent, James Irvin, was removed from their UFC 102 bout due to a knee injury and replaced by Ed Herman, Wilson Gouveia is now dropping off the card as well due to a back injury. Still no word regarding a potential replacement opponent for Herman, or if the fight will be scrapped altogether. HT: MMA Junkie