Two UFC fighters, Carlos Felipe and Zviad Lazishvili have been hit by USADA suspensions after failing drug tests in recent months.
Heavyweight fighter Felipe tested positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone and it’s metabolites following a unanimous decision loss to Andrei Arlovski back in October.
The 27-year-old has been suspended for 18 months and was also fined 15% of his $28,000 purse for that fight.
Felipe had been on a three-fight winning streak prior to the loss to Arlovski, leaving him with a 3-2 record in the promotion so far since making his debut in July of 2020.
Felipe has protested his innocence following the news of his suspension, but through his manager has claimed that he can’t prove his belief that the failed test was due to a tainted supplement because he can’t afford to pay the $10,000 it is estimated it would cost to mount a legal defense.
Meanwhile, bantamweight fighter Lazishvili tested positive for Clomiphene following a unanimous decision loss to Jonathan Martinez in October.
That had been Lazishvili’s short-notice promotional debut after joining the UFC with a perfect 8-0 record following a stint in the LFC organization.
He will serve a nine month suspension in addition to being fined 15% of his $12,800 fight purse.
Like Felipe, Lazishvili has claimed that he didn’t realize he was taking something he shouldn’t, stating that he suffers from a “hormonal imbalance” and was prescribed a medication by a doctor that later turned out to have a banned substance contained within it.
“No one in their right mind would purposely take a banned medication before an expected and especially before such an important fight and risk their reputation,” Lazishvili argues in a statement, while stating that he’s still exploring further legal options.
