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Ramsey Nijem, Glaico Franca, Daniel Pineda and Luis Rafael Laurentino all tested positive for performance enhancing substances.
That’s a tough break for the Professional Fighters League roster. In one fell swoop, four of the promotion’s athletes tested positive for performance enhancing substances and will now face the Nevada Athletic Commission’s scrutiny in the following month.
Per ESPN’s report, NSAC chief assistant Jeff Mullen confirmed that 10-fight UFC veteran Ramsey Nijem tested positive for marijuana, while The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 4 champion Glaico Franca and Brazilian featherweight Luis Rafael Laurentino both failed due to anabolic steroid Stanozolol.
Ramsey Nijem was eliminated from PFL’s 2019’s lightweight tournament in the quarterfinals, after being tapped out by Nathan Schulte, back on October 17. Glaico Franca lost a majority decision to David Michaud in the welterweight seminfinals and then retired from the sport immediately after the loss, on October 11. Also on October 17, Luis Rafael Laurentino was knocked out by Jeremy Kenned in the featherweight quarterfinals.
According to Mullen, all three fighters suffered temporary suspensions during a meeting held last Wednesday, but will have their official, full hearings on December 18.
Furthermore, MMA Junkie also reported that Octagon veteran and PFL finalist for the featherweight tournament, Daniel Pineda, failed his exam, as well. Although the substance the ‘Pit’ tested positive for is undisclosed, the 34-year-old joked about it on Twitter, claiming it had nothing to do with steroids or drugs.
Damn..I guess them dick pills finally caught up to me… lol #commission
For the record no “steroids” or drugs were found in my system!
— Daniel Pineda (@DanielPitPineda) November 14, 2019
Originally scheduled to take on Lance Palmer for the one million-dollar prize on December 31, in New York City, Pineda could be out of the bout due to the positive result, however no official announcements from the Commission or PFL were made yet. Daniel made his way to the finals by defeating both Movlid and Khaibulaev and Jeremy Kennedy on the same night, at PFL 8, on October 17.