Tom Lawlor may never compete in a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) bout again. Lawlor last stepped inside the Octagon back in March 2016. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight dropped a unanimous decision to Corey Anderson at UFC 196. Seven months later, Lawlor was flagged for a potential violation of the U.S. Anti […]
Tom Lawlor may never compete in a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) bout again. Lawlor last stepped inside the Octagon back in March 2016. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight dropped a unanimous decision to Corey Anderson at UFC 196. Seven months later, Lawlor was flagged for a potential violation of the U.S. Anti […]
According to a report from MMAFighting.com, UFC light heavyweight Tom Lawlor has been suspended two years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Lawlor was notified of a potential anti-doping violation this past November after testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine on Oct. 10, 2016. Given the date of his drug test failure, he
According to a report from MMAFighting.com, UFC light heavyweight Tom Lawlor has been suspended two years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Lawlor was notified of a potential anti-doping violation this past November after testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine on Oct. 10, 2016. Given the date of his drug test failure, he will be eligible to compete again in October 2018. The 33-year-old is one of only seven UFC fighters to receive the full two-year ban from USADA since the UFC partnered with the third party testing organization in 2015.
“Filthy” has won two of his last three UFC bouts to date, scoring a submission victory over Michael Kuiper in April 2013 and a knockout victory over Gian Villante in July 2015. He most recently suffered a decision loss to Corey Anderson last March at UFC 196.
It’s currently unclear whether or not Lawlor plans to return to fighting in 2018.
Following a positive drug test, Tom Lawlor has received a two-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). USADA announced that Lawlor has accepted the two-year sanction retroactive to his Oct. 10 sample. “Filthy” can return to active competition in Oct. 2018. Lawlor has gone 2-2 in his last four bouts. He defeated Michael Kuiper […]
Following a positive drug test, Tom Lawlor has received a two-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). USADA announced that Lawlor has accepted the two-year sanction retroactive to his Oct. 10 sample. “Filthy” can return to active competition in Oct. 2018. Lawlor has gone 2-2 in his last four bouts. He defeated Michael Kuiper […]
Gian Villante will not be flagged for a violation of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) policy. Villante is set to compete against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on March 11 inside the Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil. The light heavyweight bout will be part of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fight Night card. Last […]
Gian Villante will not be flagged for a violation of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) policy. Villante is set to compete against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on March 11 inside the Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil. The light heavyweight bout will be part of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fight Night card. Last […]
USADA has issued the second retroactive therapeutic use exemption (TUE) of their drug testing partnership with UFC. One week after it was announced that Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino had received the first retroactive TUE of the USADA era for her cleared medical use of banned diuretic spironolactone, word arrived today that light heavyweight Gian Villante had
USADA has issued the second retroactive therapeutic use exemption (TUE) of their drug testing partnership with UFC.
One week after it was announced that Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino had received the first retroactive TUE of the USADA era for her cleared medical use of banned diuretic spironolactone, word arrived today that light heavyweight Gian Villante had failed a test for banned substance vilanterol, but will not receive sanctions or be removed from his upcoming bout against Shogun Rua on March 11.
A report from MMA Fighting revealed Villante was using a Breo Ellipta, an inhaler used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder – better known as asthma. The Breo Ellipta inhaler apparently contained vilanterol, a banned-at-all-times substance classified as a Beta-2 Agonist under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code. Villante failed an out-of-competition test on January 18 and even though his team disclosed the use of the Breo Ellipta, he was informed he would receive sanctions if he did not have a TUE to use the treatment containing a banned substance.
Villante then applied for the exemption, providing all the necessary proof that his doctor had prescribed him a 14-day course to assist in treating airflow and asthma. Villante was cleared with the following release by USADA following the investigation, stating it had “determined that the athlete had an unequivocally diagnosed acute medical condition for which the use of vilanterol is consistent with the standard of care.”
USADA declared Villante’s use of vilanterol to be within the therapeutic recommendations of his doctor, and not intended to serve as any performance-enhancing substance. On new ground for the USADA’s testing protocol with the UFC, Villante’s TUE was only revealed because it resolved a potential anti-doping failure, as TUEs are normally not released due to medical privacy. His potential violation was not announced to the public as has been the case with many other competitors receiving potential failures due to positive tests.
From one sense, it is good that USADA is taking the time to effectively research each fighter’s personal medical circumstances and discern what their specific medical needs are as opposed to merely handing out potential violations. Their partnership with the UFC is certainly an ongoing work in progress, but it could also use some more consistency if it’s truly going to weed out cheaters in the UFC.
For example, Cyborg never disclosed she was taking spironolactone until after she failed a test, which could be a punishable offense in and of itself, but she was let off the hook after her TUE. Villante’s positive test results were also not announced, so even though he was obviously having his medical circumstances and application for a TUE reviewed, it’s fair to ask why the situation wasn’t released when fighters like Yoel Romero and Tim Means’ potential violations were immediately revealed even though they blamed tainted supplements are were then cleared following a USADA investigation.
Those few but nevertheless concerning inconsistent interpretation of the rules, paired with the suspect timing of the revealing of former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s failed pre-fight test heading into his blockbuster UFC 200 fight against Mark Hunt, where the hulking behemoth was allowed to fight and batter his opponent while on PEDs, prove just how far the UFC and USADA have to go in fairly and objectively cleaning up the sport of MMA.
For years, fight fans drooled over the idea of a potential super fight between former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Invicta FC champion Cris Cyborg Justino. At one point, it was clear that Rousey and Justino were the best in the world in regards to women’s MMA, but in the fight game, fans
For years, fight fans drooled over the idea of a potential super fight between former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Invicta FC champion Cris Cyborg Justino.
At one point, it was clear that Rousey and Justino were the best in the world in regards to women’s MMA, but in the fight game, fans always want to know who the true king, or queen in this case, of the jungle is. The weight disparity between the two, however, has always proved to be too much of a barrier to the fight taking place.
Rousey has since brutally fallen from her throne, but Cyborg has indeed made her way over to the UFC. Making her Octagon debut at May 2016’s UFC 198, Justino scored a vicious first round knockout victory over Leslie Smith in a 140-pound catchweight bout. She followed that up with yet another impressive stoppage victory over Lina Lansberg this past September in her native Brazil with the bout once again taking place at 140 pounds.
Photo Credit: Jason Silva for USA TODAY Sports
It was clear that Cyborg’s brutal knockout power transferred over to the Octagon quite nicely. It was also clear that she was a legitimate draw and a legitimate star, but it was even clearer that she would never fight at 135 pounds. Weight once again proved to be an issue as she struggled to make the 140-pound catchweight limit.
The UFC, being the money-driven business it is, however, knew Cyborg was a valuable asset and an asset worth keeping, which is why they created a women’s featherweight division. The inaugural female 145-pound champion was crowned in the main event of last weekend’s (Feb. 11, 2017) UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York, but oddly enough, Justino was not involved in the fight.
Instead, former bantamweight champion Holly Holm took on Dutch striker Germaine de Randamie. Shortly after the bout was announced, Cyborg was flagged by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) for a potential anti-doping violation. Given that she has dealt with performance-enhancing-drug issues in the past, few were surprised that Justino was flagged, and it then made sense why she wasn’t a part of UFC 208’s main event.
De Randamie went on to win a somewhat controversial decision over Holm, but the division was left in a clutter. It had a champion who few felt was the best featherweight in the world, and a clear lack of contenders.
Yesterday (Feb. 17, 2017), however, it was announced that Justino had a received a retroactive TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption), meaning that she was eligible to compete in the UFC immediately.
With that being said, it’s clear that de Randamie vs. Justino is the fight to make, despite the fact that “The Iron Lady” said she may need hand surgery when asked about fighting the Brazilian slugger.
Either way, the fight world will likely get to see what it’s been waiting so long for: Cris Cyborg competing in the UFC at her natural weight. In other words, the uncrowned featherweight queen should finally get the chance to capture her crown.
