Jessica Penne Is ‘Heartbroken’ After Claiming USADA Forced Her To Retire From MMA

UFC strawweight Jessica Penne’s career could very well be over after her recent issues with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Penne released a lengthy statement on her Instagram page detailing her recent issues with USADA, noting that sanctions have kept her from fighting inside the cage, and they’ll likely continue for several years. The […]

The post Jessica Penne Is ‘Heartbroken’ After Claiming USADA Forced Her To Retire From MMA appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC strawweight Jessica Penne’s career could very well be over after her recent issues with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Penne released a lengthy statement on her Instagram page detailing her recent issues with USADA, noting that sanctions have kept her from fighting inside the cage, and they’ll likely continue for several years. The 36-year-old was flagged by USADA in March of 2017 after failing an out-of-competition drug test for the anabolic agent dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

As a result, she received an 18-month ban. She avoided a two-year ban after explaining she was using something approved by a physician that also contained the steroid. According to Penne’s recent post, she’s looking at more potential sanctions that could result in a four-year suspension.

“I am heartbroken and defeated,” Penne said. “USADA has effectively bullied and forced me into retiring from MMA.”

Penne noted she went “broke” during her first suspension, having to take odd jobs to make ends meet. She was to make her return in February of 2019, however, an ankle injury spoiled those plans. After being booked again the following April, Penne again was removed from the fight when tests found “an extremely low level of stanozolol” in her system.

“My heart sank,” Penne said. “After everything I had gone through by complying and staying quiet just to get my shot back, this happened. I had been tested so many times and had even tested clean days before this actual test was given.

“I knew this had to be a mistake or some form of contamination. What we thought was going to be an easy determination of cause turned out to be an emotional roller coaster and ended in disaster.”

The 36-year-old spent “thousands” to test her supplements and medications, and a lab in California discovered one of them did contain the banned substance in question. However, Penne reveals USADA has conducted their own tests with new samples,” and have determined that she was, again, in violation of the promotion’s anti-doping policy. This means Penne could be looking at a four-year suspension.

“At my age there is no way I can come back in four years,” Penne said. “At this point I am lost and defeated.”

View this post on Instagram

To all of my fans and everyone who ever supported me

A post shared by Jessica Penne (@jessicapenne) on

What do you think about Penne’s statement on USADA?

The post Jessica Penne Is ‘Heartbroken’ After Claiming USADA Forced Her To Retire From MMA appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Jessica Penne vs. Jodie Esquibel Reportedly Off UFC On ESPN 1 Card

Jessica Penne vs. Jodie Esquibel will not be happening tonight (Feb. 17). UFC on ESPN 1 takes place inside the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona tonight. One bout that was supposed to take place on the ESPN+ portion of the prelims was Penn…

Jessica Penne vs. Jodie Esquibel will not be happening tonight (Feb. 17). UFC on ESPN 1 takes place inside the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona tonight. One bout that was supposed to take place on the ESPN+ portion of the prelims was Penne vs. Esquibel. Jessica Penne vs. Jodie Esquibel Off UFC on […]

The post Jessica Penne vs. Jodie Esquibel Reportedly Off UFC On ESPN 1 Card appeared first on MMA News.

10 MMA Stars Who Had Plastic Surgery

Whether necessary or elected, these 10 MMA stars went under the knife for plastic surgery:

The post 10 MMA Stars Who Had Plastic Surgery appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Whether it’s for cosmetic, functional, or medical reasons, a number of MMA stars have opted to undergo plastic surgery over the years.

In this article we’ll take a look at 10 of them, revealing what procedures they had and what the end result looked like.

Pearl Gonzalez

If it had been left up to Pearl Gonzalez, nobody would have known that she had breast implants prior to her UFC debut at UFC 210 last year, but the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) had other ideas – and much to her embarrassment.

On the day of the weigh-ins, NYSAC officials informed the stunned Gonzalez that she wouldn’t be allowed to fight on the card due to her implants.

However, after taking a couple of minutes to get over the initial shock, Gonzalez told her team to stay focused and that she was determined to still compete.

The UFC then went to bat for Gonzalez and managed to smooth things over with the commission so that she could still fight on the card. Of course, by that stage word had gotten out about the situation and was being reported on far and wide.

“I don’t think I wanted the world to know about my surgery and to be talked about like this,” Gonzalez said at a hastily arranged press conference after her bout was green-lit, adding that, “I’m going to show the world that not only do I have breast implants, but I am a talented fighter.”

The post 10 MMA Stars Who Had Plastic Surgery appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

USADA Deals Jessica Penne Lengthy Suspension

Jessica Penne was handed an 18-month suspension by USADA, but it could have been worse. Penne faced a two-year ban from MMA after her biological passport came back with the presence of an anabolic steroid. The former Invicta FC champion helped figure o…

Jessica Penne was handed an 18-month suspension by USADA, but it could have been worse. Penne faced a two-year ban from MMA after her biological passport came back with the presence of an anabolic steroid. The former Invicta FC champion helped figure out what caused the test result, which helped cut the suspension to 18 […]

UFC Strawweight Suspended 18 Months By USADA

Jessica Penne won’t be fighting anytime soon after failing a drug test back in March 2017. Penne received an 18-month suspension from USADA due to the failed test, officials with the anti-doping said on Friday. USADA claims Penne tested positive for anabolic steroids during a test conducted on March 20, 2017. Fighters who test positive […]

The post UFC Strawweight Suspended 18 Months By USADA appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Jessica Penne won’t be fighting anytime soon after failing a drug test back in March 2017. Penne received an 18-month suspension from USADA due to the failed test, officials with the anti-doping said on Friday.

USADA claims Penne tested positive for anabolic steroids during a test conducted on March 20, 2017. Fighters who test positive for steroids typically face a two-year suspension, however, Penne was able to prove she was taking a medication under the guidance of her physician that contained the banned steroid.

While her March test initially turned up negative, further review of Penne’s Athlete Biological Passport by USADA officials was “flagged for additional analysis due to an increased degree of variability in urinary biomarkers measured in the sample.”

Further testing on the sample Penne provided USADA showed synthetic steroids were indeed in her system.

Penne was denied a retroactive therapeutic use exemption for the steroid, despite the fact that it was recommended to her by a doctor, according to Penne.

She was able to compete in April while the matter was being adjudicated, losing to Danielle Taylor at UFC Nashville in April. Penne’s suspension was given out a day later, meaning she will be out of action until at least October 22, 2018.

The 34-year-old UFC strawweight holds a 12-5 record and is currently on a three-fight losing streak. She was previously the atomweight champion in Invicta and fell to former UFC strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2015.

The post UFC Strawweight Suspended 18 Months By USADA appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC 211 Free Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk Mangles Jessica Penne’s Nose

Fight fans get to relive the beating current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) strawweight title holder Joanna Jedrzejczyk put on Jessica Penne in her first title defense. Jedrzejczyk took on Penne inside the O2 World in Berlin, Germany for UFC Fight Night 69. It was Jedrzejczyk’s first headliner in the UFC. While Penne showed heart in […]

Fight fans get to relive the beating current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) strawweight title holder Joanna Jedrzejczyk put on Jessica Penne in her first title defense. Jedrzejczyk took on Penne inside the O2 World in Berlin, Germany for UFC Fight Night 69. It was Jedrzejczyk’s first headliner in the UFC. While Penne showed heart in […]