The UFC welterweight detailed his suspension on Facebook.
Jesse Ronson has received a 20-month suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for failing an out-of-competition drug test. The UFC welterweight announced the suspension on his official Facebook page on Tuesday evening.
The agency has yet to make an official announcement regarding Ronson, but he detailed the situation that ultimately led to the decision.
“It is with great surprise, and sadness that I have to inform you that I have received a suspension from USADA for the detection of a banned substance in my sample provided to them during an out of competition test,” wrote Ronson. “This has turned my world upside down as it’s a 20-month suspension. I haven’t slept much and have been sick to my stomach as I would never knowingly or purposely take a banned substance.”
Ronson revealed the banned substance he tested positive for was Metandienone — an anabolic steroid that is on the UFC Prohibited List. A search on the UFC Global Drug Reference Online database provides the ingredient status of Metandienone, which states that “more than a total of 100 mL per 12-hour period are prohibited at all times”.
Ronson believed there was a sole supplement he took that may have been tainted with Metandienone, so he sent it over to a testing facility to see if this was indeed the case. After paying $1,000 — an out-of-pocket cost for Ronson — the testing facility did not find the substance in the supplement.
There are other supplements Ronson says he has previously taken, but he unfortunately cannot have them all tested.
“I am at a loss as all the other supplements I was taking at the time have been consumed and I cannot send them in for testing to prove my innocence. Despite the high cost of [$1,000] per supplement I would send them all in to clear my name and get a lesser suspension if I could but I can’t.”
Ronson finished his statement by reiterating that he would never “knowingly or purposely” take a banned substance, but will accept the punishment given to him by USADA.
Ronson was currently in the middle of his second stint with the UFC after going 0-3 between 2013 and 2014 before getting cut by the promotion. He was welcomed back in 2020 and was given a fight against Nicolas Dalby at UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till, where he earned a first-round rear-naked choke and his first official UFC win.
With this suspension, Ronson may not be seen again until 2022.