Bellator’s Alexander Shlemenko vows to take back ‘everything that was mine’ before steroid ban

For a man with more than 60 pro fights and multiple world titles to his credit, Alexander Shlemenko sure has a chip on his shoulder.

The former Bellator MMA middleweight champion has been unable to compete in the United States since early 2015 due to a steroid suspension enacted by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). He'll make his return to the Bellator cage Friday night against Kendall Grove in the main event of Bellator 162 in Memphis.

"Psychologically, it was a very difficult moment for me," Shlemenko told MMA Fighting. "So now I have to overcome it and I have to come back and I have to prove once and for all for everyone who's ever doubted me and I have to take back…