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The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) voted unanimously to accept a settlement proposed by Lesnar’s attorney Howard Jacobs and signed by the NSAC executive director Bob Bennett on December 16, 2016. The terms of the settlement call for a one-year suspension and a $250,000 fine.
Lesnar defeated Mark Hunt via unanimous decision in the UFC 200 main event on July 9, 2016. NSAC stripped Lesnar of his victory and recorded the result as a “no contest”. Lesnar earned an estimated $2.5 million purse from the event compared to Hunt’s $700,000 purse.
The NSAC suspension comes after the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) discovered a banned performance-enhancing drug (PED) in urine samples collected on June 28, 2016 and July 9, 2016. The drug involved was reportedly clomiphene (Clomid) – a selective estrogen receptor modulator that is typically used by anabolic steroid users as an anti-estrogen or as a post cycle therapy (PCT) agent.
Given Lesnar’s failed drug test at UFC 200, Hunt previously called for Lesnar to be stripped of the entire $2.5 million purse. Hunt suggested that at least half of the $2.5 million should be given to him. Of course, this did not materialize. Lesnar will get to keep almost all of his UFC 200 winnings in spite of the failed drug tests. A ten percent penalty and a one year suspension is a small price to pay for a multi-million dollar pay day.
Lesnar never provided any explanation for why or how a banned drug ended up in his system. Lesnar never talked to the NSAC about the positive test. And Lesnar never publicly commented on the incident other than to say he would “get to the bottom” of it.
Most importantly, Lesnar never took responsibility for the failed drug test. He wasn’t required to admit liability as a condition of the settlement in order to receive a reduced one-year suspension from the NSAC. However, public documents submitted by his attorney revealed that Lesnar vehemently denied knowingly using any banned substance.
Lesnar’s suspension has led to much speculation about his future in UFC events. It will be the eve of Lesnar’s 40th birthday when he becomes eligible to return to MMA competition. Given his advanced age for MMA athletes, many people don’t think he will return to fight in the octagon again.
It’s no big loss for Lesnar who will be busy making millions as a part-time entertainer employed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Since part-time WWE employees can use as many steroids as they want without be subjected to drug testing, WWE seems much preferable to strict UFC steroid testing policy administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Lesnar is expected to fight Bill Goldberg in the 2017 WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio on January 29, 2017. The pay-per-view event is expected to generate millions of dollars in revenues with Lesnar’s share being more than enough to help him forget about his UFC suspension.
Lesnar defeated Mark Hunt via unanimous decision in the UFC 200 main event on July 9, 2016. NSAC stripped Lesnar of his victory and recorded the result as a “no contest”. Lesnar earned an estimated $2.5 million purse from the event compared to Hunt’s $700,000 purse.
The NSAC suspension comes after the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) discovered a banned performance-enhancing drug (PED) in urine samples collected on June 28, 2016 and July 9, 2016. The drug involved was reportedly clomiphene (Clomid) – a selective estrogen receptor modulator that is typically used by anabolic steroid users as an anti-estrogen or as a post cycle therapy (PCT) agent.
Given Lesnar’s failed drug test at UFC 200, Hunt previously called for Lesnar to be stripped of the entire $2.5 million purse. Hunt suggested that at least half of the $2.5 million should be given to him. Of course, this did not materialize. Lesnar will get to keep almost all of his UFC 200 winnings in spite of the failed drug tests. A ten percent penalty and a one year suspension is a small price to pay for a multi-million dollar pay day.
Lesnar never provided any explanation for why or how a banned drug ended up in his system. Lesnar never talked to the NSAC about the positive test. And Lesnar never publicly commented on the incident other than to say he would “get to the bottom” of it.
Most importantly, Lesnar never took responsibility for the failed drug test. He wasn’t required to admit liability as a condition of the settlement in order to receive a reduced one-year suspension from the NSAC. However, public documents submitted by his attorney revealed that Lesnar vehemently denied knowingly using any banned substance.
Lesnar’s suspension has led to much speculation about his future in UFC events. It will be the eve of Lesnar’s 40th birthday when he becomes eligible to return to MMA competition. Given his advanced age for MMA athletes, many people don’t think he will return to fight in the octagon again.
It’s no big loss for Lesnar who will be busy making millions as a part-time entertainer employed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Since part-time WWE employees can use as many steroids as they want without be subjected to drug testing, WWE seems much preferable to strict UFC steroid testing policy administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Lesnar is expected to fight Bill Goldberg in the 2017 WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio on January 29, 2017. The pay-per-view event is expected to generate millions of dollars in revenues with Lesnar’s share being more than enough to help him forget about his UFC suspension.
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