Amanda Ribas handed major USADA suspension before ever making UFC debut

Amanda Ribas’ UFC career has been dealt a serious blow before it even started.

The strawweight fighter was scheduled to make her promotional debut opposite Julianna Lima last summer. Unfortunately, she was pulled from this contest when she tested positive for the banned substance ostarine in an out-of-competition test facilitated on June 7. She was subsequently handed a provisional suspension, while USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, examined her case.

In the end, USADA dropped the hammer on Ribas, slapping her with a two-year ban, retroactive to June 7. This means she won’t be able to fight again until June 7, 2019.

Per a USADA statement:

“Ribas, 24, tested positive for ostarine following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on June 7, 2017. Ostarine is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.”

“Ostarine also known as MK-2866 and Enobosarm, is a non-FDA approved selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that is illegally sold in the United States and worldwide as a performance-enhancing substance. Ostarine is not currently available as a prescription medication in any country, and its unauthorized use may carry serious side effects.”

Ribas is also likely to receive a ban from the Nevada Athletic Commission, who would have overseen her nixed UFC debut.

The 24-year-old Ribas is currently 6-1 overall, with five of her six wins coming by way of knockout or submission. Her lone loss was a 2015 knockout dealt by Polyana Viana Mota. Thus far, none of her fights have occurred outside her native Brazil.

What do you think the future holds for Amanda Ribas now that she’s been handed such a hefty band by USADA?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 1/10/2018.