Tim Means ‘was a little more emotional’ at UFC 202 due to recent troubles

Tim Means stepped inside the cage at UFC 202 last weekend and put a halt to newcomer Sabah Homasi’s career advancements with a brutal second-round TKO. That was far from the biggest battle Means has had to endure over the past eight months, however.

Means recently went through the process of gaining the custody of his daughters, which included several trips to court; a tainted supplement fiasco with USADA and a six-month suspension; subsequently being pulled from a main event fight opposite Donald Cerrone; and putting down his two dogs, as well.

Let’s just say Tim Means has been through quite a bit.

Despite everything he went through earlier this year, Means felt no extra pressure to perform well in his Octagon return but did feel more emotional going into the bout.

“It just really played out,” Means told BloodyElbow’s The MMA Circus podcast. “I just had to kick back, be patient, work another job for a little bit, keep my brain sharpened in another job type, I guess, because I was looking at a two-year suspension at that time. So there was a lot of things going on.

“Training and preparing for a fist fight helped keep everything calm. It just played out the way it did. I was a little more emotional, I guess — angry — because of those reasons. But I was able to calm down and make those adjustments in the fight, and it worked out.”

Means’ recent victory didn’t feel sweeter than usual to him, but performing well is always crucial, financially. Even more so in this situation because the 32-year-old lost out on a lot of money during his time away.

“We’re doing everything we’re supposed to be doing to keep my kids on the straight path, doing the right things, and [staying] active.”

Means tested positive for ostarine this past January but was found not to be at fault after a lengthy back-and-forth with USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner. He eventually agreed to a six-month suspension, which has since been completed, and is now in the clear.

The Wilburton, Okla., native left “fight-ready mode” and pursued welding during his time off, but is more than thankful, and perhaps lucky, that the USADA fiasco cleared up and that he is eligible to compete again.

“In that time, it just showed me how much I do like my job and how much I do love mixed martial arts. I’m just proud of what I’ve done over the years, and I’ve worked hard to be here. It got taken away, and I had to stay patient and keep my mind clear.”

During approximately the same time of his USADA situation, Means, who trains out of FIT NHB in Albuquerque, N.M., gained full custody of his daughters.

During his teenage and young adult years, he was “in and out of the court system” and served a four-year stint in prison for aggravated assault. But Means has since turned his life around, which has paid off, and has ultimately led to the custody of his daughters.

“I’ve been working for the last eight years in my community, talking to schools here, going different places, and it all played out for me in the judge’s eyes,” he said. “I like my freedom, I like opening up my own refrigerator, I like going to my kids’ gymnastics, and watch them do their things, watch them grow up and do the right things, and I hope I can be a good, positive environment. Life is good. I’m not a liar, I’m not a drug addict no more, I take full responsibility for what I did in the past, and I’m proud of who I am.”

Means has been focusing on being a father as of late and has been partaking in many activities with his daughters over the past few months.

“We’ve been doing stuff all summer long; fishing, camping,” he said. “Things I’ve already done in my life.

“There’s no making up for lost time. It’s just doing things right now.”