Sean O’Malley Gets Hits With A Six Month USADA Suspension
Earlier in October UFC bantamweight prospect, Sean O’Malley was yanked from his showdown with Jose Quinonez at UFC 229 after “Suga” failed a drug test administered by USADA.
O’Malley himself broke the news on social media why he was out, following a policy change by the UFC that they won’t publicly announce potential fighter violations until the proceedings are complete.
According to MMAJunkie, ‘Suga’ has been handed six months of suspension (retroactive October 6) by Nevada State Athletic Commission earlier on Wednesday, November 14 in Las Vegas. O’Malley received a lesser penalty from the Commission after accepting the responsibility of failed drug test.
Bantamweight contender will have to pay $472.42 in cost and fees.
“Circumstances in which the respondent takes responsibility for the adverse analytical finding,” an Attorney General rep clarified, grants “the commission the discretion to deviate from the standard and to reduce the suspension by 50 percent.”
O’Malley would be eligible to return to Octagon on March 6, 2019, but he still needs to clear his case with USADA as well.
Undefeated O’Malley entered into UFC after beating Alfred Khashakyan on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. In his first two UFC Octagon outings ‘Suga’ put together consecutive unanimous decision wins over Terrion Ware and Andre Soukhamthath.
