Jose Souza's UFC debut comes almost three years after he first signed — a delay he traces to a 2023 positive test for two metabolites of nandrolone and the two-year suspension that followed.

Souza, who also fights as Jose Henrique, gave his account to MMA Fighting: he says he never knowingly used a banned substance to enhance performance, and attributes the positive to Deca-Durabolin a doctor recommended to recover from a knee injury before a non-UFC bout, which he failed to disclose when first tested. He accepted the ban, stayed active in promotions outside USADA's reach — including a boxing match and two Centurion FC wins in 2024 — and earned the call back. "I went through a lot of difficulties, a lot of bad thoughts," Souza said. "That only gave me more strength." Now 24, the Nova Uniao welterweight had three separate matchups fall through this year before this one stuck.

Waiting for him is a hard welcome. Ding Meng is a 35-9 Chinese veteran fighting at home, the kind of grizzled, high-volume opponent who makes a debut miserable. Souza arrives with a redemption narrative and a chip on his shoulder; Ding arrives with a decade-plus of cage time and a partisan crowd. For a fighter who waited three years for this walk, the test could hardly be steeper.