Former Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will appeal her one-year long suspension handed down by the California State Athletic Commission at their next meeting, scheduled for April 9, according to MMA junkie.
CSAC Executive Director George Dodd confirmed the news on Monday when contacted by MMA junkie, though he also mentioned that an agenda for the meeting was not set yet.
Santos was suspended on January 6 when she failed a CSAC post-fight drug test for the anabolic steroid stanozolol.
Cyborg briefly improved her winning streak to 11 after knocking out title challenger Hiroko Yamanaka just 16 seconds into their Dec. 17 fight that took place in San Diego, California.
However, the result of the bout was changed to a no-contest and Cyborg was stripped of her title as a result of the positive drug test.
The female fighter took to her official website the next day offering an apology to the fans, although she ultimately blamed the failed drug test on an over-the-counter diet supplement, which she did not name.
A source from within Santos’ camp said the 26-year-old fighter hoped to have the length of her suspension reduced so that it will be possible to book her next fight.
In the past, fighters such as then UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk and then Strikeforce middleweight Phil Baroni, both in 2007, successfully appealed CSAC issued suspensions.
In both cases, the suspensions were cut down from one year to six months.
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