On Wednesday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship revealed a positive drug test for UFC on FX 7 participant Thiago Tavares (17-5-1).
Tavares tested positive for drostanolone, an anabolic steroid, and has been retroactively suspended nine months. Tavares will also have to complete more screening tests before he is allowed to return to the Octagon.
The news clears up the rumors floating on the web which surfaced last week about one fighter having an irregular result. Many were quick to point the finger at former UFC champ Vitor Belfort but UFC president Dana White was quick to defend ‘The Phenom’ following last weekends UFC 156 event.
UFC officials did reveal today that Belfort had been granted a therapeutic-use exemption for testosterone replacement therapy for his bout with Michael Bisping, but his test results did not indicate “any prohibited” substances.
UFC on FX 7 took place on January 19, 2013 at the Ibirapuera Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The main card aired on FX television while the prelim card was split between Fuel TV and Facebook.
Tavares appeared on the FX telecast opening the main card against Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov. Tavares would suffer a first round knockout loss to Nurmagomedov, putting his record at 2-2 over his last four and 7-5-1 overall in the Octagon.