Strikeforce light heavyweight Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante tested positive for a banned substance following his win over Mike Kyle last month in San Jose, Calif. The California State Athletic Commission executive officer George Dodd confirmed the news with MMAFighting.com on Friday. Boxing reporter Gabriel Montoya first reported the news on Twitter.
As a result, Cavalcante has been suspended for one year and fined $2,500 by the CSAC.
Dodd refused to disclose which banned substance Cavalcante tested positive for because he was not at his office when contacted by MMAFighting.com. He said the CSAC sent Cavalcante a letter earlier this week informing him of the failed test but they have yet to hear back from him.
Ed Soares, Cavalcante’s manager, told MMAFighting.com that they have replied to the CSAC’s letter and will be appealing the suspension.
“I believe in his innocence, and we’re fighting it,” Soares said. “We stand behind him. There’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t make sense.”
Strikeforce officials were not immediately available for comment when contacted by MMAFighting.com.
Cavalcante submitted Kyle at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson III in just 33 seconds last month. He was rumored to be in line for a title shot against Gegard Mousasi later this year.
This marks the third high-profile Strikeforce fighter to be accused of testing positive for a banned substance this year after Cris “Cyborg” Santos and Muhammed Lawal were both suspended by the CSAC and Nevada State Athletic Commission, respectively.