Earlier this week, No. 3 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Mayra Bueno Silva revealed that she had failed a drug test ahead of her second-round submission victory over Holly Holm in July.
‘Sheetara’ moved to 6-2-1 inside the Octagon and solidified her spot in the division’s top five, making her a potential candidate to compete for the vacant 135-pound title. Sadly, her spot could now be in jeopardy after a pre-fight USADA test was flagged for a banned substance. Bueno Silva chose to go public with the information, revealing that the substance in question was related to the medication she takes for ADHD.
Speaking with James Lynch in a MiddleEasy exclusive interview, Bueno Silva detailed her failed test, confirming that it was related to her ADHD diagnosis.
“I take one drug for ADHD and this amount is [.00007] in my test,” Bueno Silva said. “I don’t know why this suspension… I don’t know why. This amount shows you that I don’t take them in competition.”
Bueno Silva clarified that she has been taking the medication for the last two or three years and has always stopped taking it during fight week. She also stated that she has disclosed her medications to USADA representatives while being tested.
During her conversation with James Lynch, Bueno Silva added that she was first informed of USADA’s findings two weeks ago. Asked why she chose to release the information herself, Bueno Silva said:
“Because I respect my fans. I respect everybody. I’m clean.”
On August 24, Bueno Silva will go before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to address her failed test.
“Yes, but it’s not the finished decision,” she said of her upcoming meeting with the NSAC. “This is to suspend me. It’s a temporary decision.”
As for her win over Holly Holm, Bueno Silva believes that it could be overturned to a no contest, though she has not received an official word. With her victory over Holm, many believed that Bueno Silva was a likely candidate to face Julianna Pena for the vacant UFC women’s bantamweight world championship. It’s still possible that this whole thing gets cleared up, allowing her to step into that spotlight, but at this time, she’s not so certain.
“I don’t know, man. The commission is the problem. I hope they don’t do this mistake with me.”
Shortly after Bueno Silva went public with her failed USADA test, former bantamweight champion Julianna Pena chimed in with a rather vicious social media post that had many fans coming to the defense of Bueno Silva.
#CHEATara, living up to your nickname.
Back to being a curtain jerker of an Apex card you go. You fought two 41yr olds this year and you had to cheat in order to get it done. Can't pass a #drugtest?
Keep my name out of your mouth ya dumb broad! pic.twitter.com/EMyfJu8xbo— Julianna Peña (@VenezuelanVixen) August 22, 2023
“She talks too much. I promise I will smash Julianna,” Bueno Silva said of Pena’s post on X. “I won’t go finish Julianna. I won’t knock out Julianna. I will smash Julianna for five rounds. Five rounds. She needs help because I will smash her”
Mayra Bueno Silva Remains Confident That Everything Will Be Cleared Up in Due Time
Mayra Bueno Silva confirmed that she has followed up with the UFC regarding the failed test and the ramifications she could face outside of a decision from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
“Yeah, we’re talking about it. They know I am innocent. USADA knows I am innocent. The commission knows I am innocent, but this is the rule.”
She continued, “People need to know, this medication does not improve my performance. This medication is about ADHD. Only that. This does not improve my performance. If we take this medication in the morning, in the night, there is nothing in my body anymore.”
Recently retired welterweight contender Kevin Lee found himself in a similar situation in 2021 after testing positive for Adderall. Lee revealed that he took the medication to treat ADHD, but failed to file for a therapeutic-use exemption believing that it would be out of his system ahead of his return to the Octagon. Lee was subsequently suspended for six months and ultimately released from the UFC.
Of course, Bueno Silva doesn’t see her situation playing out as it did for Kevin Lee as it appears both USADA and the UFC have cleared her of all wrongdoing. Unfortunately, the NSAC is not quite as forgiving.
“For USADA, everything’s okay. The commission is the problem. For USADA, for UFC, everything’s good because I sent a lot of documents, a lot of tests. Everything USADA and the UFC asked me for, I gave. This is a big mistake with me because I did exams at my doctor’s. Everything. USADA and UFC understand this is medical. I have everything. I think everything is going to be okay.”
