UFC featherweight Chad Mendes suspended 2 years by USADA
Former UFC featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes has not competed since December 2015 and his return to action won’t happen any time soon.
Mendes has been handed a two-year ban by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for an out-of-competition test that revealed the presence of GHRP-6.
USADA, which independently administers the UFC’s anti-doping policy, announced the suspension Wednesday. The test was administered May 17.
GHRP stands for Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide. GHRP-6 falls under the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics in the UFC’s anti-doping program, which has been adopted from the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list.
Mendes, 31, will be suspended retroactive to June 10, 2016, the day his sample was returned and he received a provisional suspension while the matter was adjudicated.
The Sacramento, California-trained fighter dropped featherweight title shots against Jose Aldo in 2012 and 2014. He also lost an interim title bout against Conor McGregor in July 2015.
Mendes has lost three of his last four bouts after beginning his career 16-1.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj