NAC not satisfied with USADA suspension of Cynthia Calvillo, adds three extra months

Back at UFC 219, which went down on December 30 of 2017, Team Alpha Male strawweight prospect Cynthia Calvillo lost a close decision to former champion Carla Esparza. Regrettably, things went from bad to worse for Calvillo from there, as we learned that she failed an in-competition drug test, testing positive for the dreaded marijuana metabolites.

Earlier this month, Calvillo received her USADA administered suspension for this offense. The Agency hit her with a six-month suspension, which could have been reduced to three months had she completed a “drug awareness and management program.” This meant she could have returned to action as soon as March 30.

Unfortunately, the folks over at the Nevada Athletic Commission, who oversaw UFC 219, don’t seem to think 6 months was a severe enough suspension for Calvillo’s use of marijuana. Per Sherdog.com, the NAC hit Calvillo with a nine-month suspension, which implies that she’ll be deprived of the opportunity to fight for a pay check until August 30. And that’s only if she submits a clean drug test, which will be required in order for her to be relicensed. Calvillo was also fined 15 percent of her $41,000 purse. That’s $6,150, if match isn’t your strong suit.

Calvillo’s loss to Esparza marked her first loss in the Octagon, and her first loss overall. She began her UFC career with three-straight victories: back-to-back rear-naked choke wins over Amanda Bobby Cooper and Pearl Gonzales, and a decision defeat over Scottish strawweight Joanne Calderwood. She is now 6-1  overall.

Do you think 9 months is a fair suspension for Cynthia Calvillo’s use of marijuana?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/13/2018.