Four UFC fighters, Sean O’ Malley, Nicco Montano, Marvin Vettori and Augusto Mendes have each been handed down a six month suspension by USADA after testing positive for the banned PED Ostarine over the course of the past year.
According to USADA, in each case the fighters in question had been found to have ingested Ostarine via a contaminated supplement, and as such they escape a lengthier two year suspension.
The 24-year-old O’ Malley tested positive for the PED on both September 5th and December 8th during out-of-competition tests, which would subsequently treated as one single violation. His suspension begins from September 19th of last year.
“I’m freeeeee,” O’Malley wrote on Twitter after the announcement. “July 6th I’m busting someone up.”
The 30-year-old Montano flagged positive during an out-of-competition test on October 25th and was suspended from November 15th.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank my friends, family, and all of my fans for their continued support during this difficult period in my life,” Montano wrote on Instagram. “As you all know, USADA was unable to locate the source of my contamination. I will continue to remain diligent in my responsibilities to USADA and the UFC. I would like to acknowledge Donna Marcolini and Jeff Novitzky with the UFC for their assistance in this process. This suspension has further inspired me to work even harder of achieving my goals in the UFC. I hope to make my return this summer.”
Vettori, 25, was also discovered to have Ostarine in his system on August 24th and his suspension began from that date.
“To all people that talked shit in the past year: now stop everything that you are doing,” Vettori stated on Instagram. “Run to the bathroom, do a real good deep mouthwash, now do it again, then look yourself in the mirror and slap your mouth real nice. Then go back at the place you were, keep doing what you were doing. I’m back motherfuckers! Deal with it. [👊🏻] [🇮🇹] #theitaliandream.”
Finally, the 36-year-old Mendes violation stems from an out-of-competition test on March 7th, with his suspension beginning on March 20th.
“It’s finally over!” Mendes began in a lengthy Instagram post. “I proved my innocence as I always said from the beginning! After 13 months my USADA case is over, I got 6 months sanction that was already served 7 months ago. I’m free and clear to fight immediately!
I knew in my heart that I did nothing wrong, I lost a lot time, sponsors, contracts, but guess what? when you serve a God that is bigger than everything, nothing is impossible and my Lord will make me recover everything!
For 13 months I fought, not in the ring but internally to prove my innocence, it cost me exactly 2 years without fighting MMA, cost me a lot of money, but all sacrifice were paid off and worthy. Nothing pay for the satisfaction of cleared my name.
I’ve been competing in the hight level since I was 15 years old, I won my first world title as 17 and for 21 years I’ve been fighting at the highest level, winning 7 BJJ world titles, 3 as black belt and proving that my dedication and hard work brought me here and not any perfomance enhancing drugs.
To all my family, friends and fans that were by my side during that dark time, thank you so much!
The future in the cage it is in the God’s hands and I’m looking forward to be fighting soon! *Psalm 35*”
