Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will be back sooner than expected.

Late Friday, Henderson’s representative forwarded a statement from the fighter, explaining that he’ll return to training right away after suffering an armbar loss to Anthony Pettis at UFC 164.

“My elbow isn’t going to be an issue,” Henderson said in the statement. “Dr. Shafer said I can resume training immediately, but to take it slow and steady for a couple of weeks and do my rehab work. Of course I am anxious to get going full speed again but I will be smart and patient about it as well.

“I want to thank my hardcore fans for their awesome support, not just in the past week, but throughout my career. I can be better. I will be better.”

Henderson suffered an injured elbow in his submission loss to Pettis at UFC 164 last week in Milwaukee. Pettis locked on the armbar to win the fight and UFC belt in the first round of the main event. The loss was Henderson’s first since losing to Pettis at WEC 53, a match that saw Pettis taking the WEC lightweight title from his opponent.

Pettis was also injured during the fight, suffering a sprained knee that will keep him out of action for seven weeks.

Matthew Riddle weighs in during the UFC weigh-in on Feb. 15 at Wembley Arena in London. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Following the release of welterweight Matt Riddle for a second failed drug test for marijuana, the UFC on Wednesday afternoon issued an official statement regarding their actions.

The company said that the positive test for marijuana metabolites was a breach of contract and violation of their conduct policy. For these reasons, Riddle was terminated.

“The UFC organization is exercising its right to terminate Riddle for breach of his obligations under his Promotional Agreement as well as the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy,”  the UFC posted on their website.

“The UFC organization has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents. The outcome of the bout against Che Mills was changed to a no-contest and the results of the positive test will be reported to the official Association of Boxing Commissions MMA record-keeper.”

As GRACIEMAG.com reported Wednesday morning, Riddle tested positive for marijuana after his UFC on Fuel TV 7 fight with Che Mills. The failed test was his second, the first one coming after his UFC 149 fight with Chris Clements.

Both fights have been turned to no-contests.

(L-R) Opponents Vitor Belfort and Michael Bisping face off before in their middleweight fight at the UFC on FX event on January 19, 2013 at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC middleweight Michael Bisping is a disappointed man.

The fighter released a statement through his website on Friday to address the recent news of UFC on FX 7 opponent Vitor Belfort’s exemption to undergo testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for their fight from last month in Brazil.

Bisping expressed his frustration with how his opponent is openly allowed the exemption, pointing specifically at the fact that Belfort has prior run-ins that deal with performance enhancers.

“It is very disappointing that someone who was caught cheating with testosterone in the past now gets to use testosterone legally,” Bisping said in the statement. “A well known side effect of steroids is that it reduces testosterone, so I don’t understand how it would make sense to then grant someone an exemption to then increase testosterone.”

Bisping’s loss to Belfort marked the third time he’s been in a middleweight title eliminator, and been unable to capture the win. Notably, all three of those losses have been to fighters who have undergone TRT in the past — Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen and now Belfort.

The British fighter went on to clarify that he’s not making excuses for the Jan. 19 defeat, and hopes to climb back up the middleweight ladder starting with his next fight.

“I am not here to make excuses or cry over spilled milk,” he said. “I … am very excited to work and earn a title fight the right way.  That process starts by whooping Alan Belcher’s [expletive] at UFC 159.”

Bisping’s next fight will take place on April 27 in Newark, N.J. as part of a Pay-Per-View.

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