Karo Parisyan Returns To UFC, Will Face Dennis Hallman At UFC 123
Less than a year after Dana White tweeted that Karo Parisyan would never fight again in the UFC, “The Heat” has been welcome back to the organization and offered a fight against Dennis Hallman at UFC 123 in Auburn Hills, Mich.
This is a bit of a surprise given Karo’s rather unceremonious departure from the UFC. He had racked up a UFC record of 8-3 before UFC 88 where he was scheduled to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida. Talk of Karo’s struggle with an anxiety issue caused many to question his pulling out of the out at the last minute with a back injury. Next, Karo fought Dung Hyun Kim at UFC 94. Following the fight Parisyan failed his drug test after having three different opiates in his system. As a result of the failed test Karo’s win was changed to a no contest.
Finally Karo was scheduled to fight Dustin Hazelett at UFC 106. At the last minute Karo pulled out of the bout leading to a confusing aftermath where Karo claimed that he couldn’t get a fight license unless he paid the Nevada State Athletic Commission his fine from his previous failed drug test only to have commission representatives come forward to say that there was a deal in place with Karo already to pay his fine out of his purse from the UFC 106 event.
In response to the 106 situation UFC president tweeted:
Karo Parisyan has fucked over the UFC, the fans and his opponent again!!! He will not be fighting Saturday or ever again in the UFC
Since leaving the UFC Karo has only had one fight, a second round rear naked choke win over Ben Mortimer at ImpactFC. Of course, nothing with Karo is normal anymore so at that event he convinced the promoter to let his fight go on earlier than scheduled due to anxiety issues.
Now, despite being unable to handle the pressure of an ImpactFC fight and not having a fight happen without a problem since his loss to Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 13 in April of 2008 he has gotten a ticket back to the world’s biggest stage.
As a Karo fan I certainly hope he is able to overcome his problems and turn his life and career around. But I just don’t understand the move to bring him back to the UFC just yet.
