After MMA Junkie broke the news Friday that Stephan Bonnar and Dave Herman failed their UFC 153 post-fight drug tests, Zuffa LLC, the owner of the UFC, issued an update on the situation via a statement on UFC.com.
“Stephan Bonnar and Dave Herman tested positive for banned substances following their bouts at UFC 153. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents. Both fighters have admitted taking the banned substances and have orally agreed to suspensions. Once the suspensions have been reduced to written agreements, the results of their tests and the agreed upon suspensions will be sent to the Association of Boxing Commissions official record-keeper so other jurisdictions will be on notice.”
Various MMA media outlets reported on Friday that UFC officials confirmed that Bonnar tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone, while Herman tested positive for marijuana metabolites.
This was not the first positive drug test for either fighter. Herman was scheduled to face Mike Russow at UFC 136, but was removed from the card when he tested positive for marijuana during a preliminary drug test. Herman denied using the drug leading up to the bout.
“The American Psycho” had traces of Boldenone metabolites, an anabolic steroid, in his system after his UFC 62 bout with Forrest Griffin in Aug. 2006. Bonnar owned up to taking the drug, stating that he only used the banned substance to help speed up an elbow injury.
Bonnar confirmed on his Facebook fan page earlier in the week that he would be retiring following his UFC 153 loss to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Bonnar had won three fights in a row prior to the loss to Silva.
Meanwhile, Herman lost his third fight in a row when he was submitted by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 153. That, coupled with his second positive drug test, likely means “Pee Wee” will be handed his walking papers in the near future.
The UFC typically acts as their own athletic commission for events held outside of the United States and Canada. Since UFC 153 took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that’s exactly what happened here.
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