Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight Jesse Taylor has had a tough run with the mixed martial arts promotion. Now it would appear that the fighter has been suspended for a failed drug test.
Jesse Taylor made a name for himself on season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2008. Taylor made it all the way to the finals, but was then pulled from the series due to an incident in Las Vegas. Taylor would go on to earn a submission victory over Dhiego Lima earlier this summer, making his return to the UFC.
USADA has suspended Taylor for one year. The fighter tested positive for anti-estrogen agent clomiphene in an out-of-competition drug test. Originally set to take on Belal Muhammad in Nov., Taylor has since been pulled from the UFC event.
Jesse Taylor holds a professional record of 31-15 and will be eligible to return to the octagon on Sept. 13, 2018.
Here’s USADA’s official statement
USADA announced today that UFC® athlete, Jesse Taylor, of San Diego, Calif., has tested positive for a prohibited substance and accepted the maximum one-year sanction for his anti-doping policy violation.
Taylor, 34, tested positive for clomiphene following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on August 22, 2017. Clomiphene is a Specified Substance in the class of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Clomiphene is not approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the male population, as its use has not been thoroughly studied for safety and efficacy. Clomiphene also indirectly promotes the secretion of testosterone. Increasing testosterone, especially when combined with strength training, has been demonstrated to increase fat-free mass, muscle size, and strength in males, potentially leading to performance enhancement in sport.
Taylor’s one-year period of ineligibility, the highest sanction for a first offense involving a Specified Substance, began on September 13, 2017, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. As a result of his positive test, Taylor was removed from the Card for the UFC Fight Night event in Sydney, Australia, scheduled for November 18, 2017.
Pursuant to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, all UFC athletes serving a period of ineligibility for an anti-doping policy violation are required to remain in the USADA registered testing pool and make themselves available for testing in order to receive credit for time completed under his or her sanction.
USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. In an effort to aid UFC athletes, as well as their support team members, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on the UFC Anti-Doping Program website (UFC.USADA.org) regarding the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (UFC.GlobaDRO.com), conducts educational sessions, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, and periodic athlete alerts.:
