Matheus Nicolau removed from UFN 100 for potential anti-doping violation

Brazilian flyweight Matheus Nicolau has been removed from his fight with Ulka Susaki at UFC Fight Night 100 for a potential anti-doping violation. The test was administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the UFC’s independent PED testing agency.

UFN 100 takes place on November 19, 2016, at Ginásio do Ibirapuera in São Paulo, Brazil, so it is regulated by the Comissão Atlética Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA). Although Nicolau had a fight scheduled, in all likelihood, CABMMA will let USADA handle the adjudication.

There will be an investigation to determine whether or not the fighter knowingly took the drug, and nature of the drug, and if the test was, in fact, correct. If the drug was one of those categorized by USADA as a specified substance due to the greater likelihood of a credible non-doping explanation,” then the penalty ranges from a public warning to a maximum one-year suspension. If the drug was a performance enhancing drug (PED), then a first-time failure carries a two-year suspension.

However, several fighters have had tests flagged and faced no suspension what so ever after an investigation. Welterweight Augusto Montano of Mexico, bantamweight Ning Guangyou of China, and welterweight Li Jingliang, also from China, each tested positive for clenbuterol. An investigation concluded that the test was due to contaminated meat in their home nation, and after a relatively brief rescheduling of their fights, the were allowed to get back to work.

Nicolau entered the UFC via TUF Brazil 4 where he got two wins and then lost in the semi-finals to finalist Dileno Lopes. He then appeared on the Finale and the BJJ black belt tapped Bruno Korea in the first. That got him a contract, and he most recently won a split decision over John Moraga at the TUF 23 Finale.

“It is important to note that, under the UFC anti-doping policy, there is a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed,” reads every announcement of a test failure. This is not just legalese for “the fighter is guilty.” Nicolau may or may not have taken a PED, or it could be something in between, so nothing needs to be read into the investigation is complete.