Kelvin Gastelum gets 3-month USADA suspension for marijuana after completion of program

Kelvin Gastelum was not expected to face additional punishment from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency following a positive test for marijuana.

Today, the UFC’s anti-doping partner announced the middleweight fighter has had his six-month suspension reduced to three months following the completion of a drug awareness program. That means Gastelum is eligible to return to competition after his suspension expires on June 10.

In the UFC Fight Night 106 main event in March, Gastelum (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) went to Brazil and beat local star and former champion Vitor Belfort (25-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) with a first-round TKO. But Gastelum tested positive for carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (otherwise known as “THC,” a metabolite found in marijuana) in a sample collected on the day of the event, which took place March 11 in Fortaleza.

USADA announced Gastelum’s potential positive test on April 6. The Superior Tribunal de Justica Desportiva do MMA (STJDMMA), the Brazilian Superior Justice Court of MMA, reached an agreement with the fighter earlier this month, though. Gastelum’s win was officially overturned and declared a no-contest, and he was suspended 90 days retroactive to the March 11 test date. He also was fined 20 percent of his purse.

The plea agreement was made in accordance with representatives from USADA, the UFC and Cristiano Sampaio, who oversees operations for Comissao Atletica Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA, Brazil’s MMA commission).

According to USADA’s statement:

“Gastelum accepted a six-month period of ineligibility, which began on March 11, 2017, the date of sample collection. Based on Gastelum’s successful completion of a USADA approved drug awareness and management program, his period of ineligibility was reduced by three months and is now scheduled to expire on June 10, 2017.

“Because the UFC Fight Night event in Fortaleza was sanctioned by the Comissao Atletica Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA), Gastelum’s positive test also falls under the jurisdiction of the Brazilian MMA Sports Court, which has the authority to independently adjudicate the case in accordance with CABMMA’s rules and regulations. Following the reduction to a three-month period of ineligibility, Gastelum’s sanction under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy is now identical in length to the period of ineligibility imposed by the Brazilian MMA Sports Court on May 7, 2017.”

Gastelum was scheduled to fight Anderson Silva at UFC 212 next month prior to the announcement of his failed test. Because he won’t be eligible in time, Silva was pulled from the card and has been the center of some mild bad blood with the UFC.

Gastelum, though, has said he’d love to fight Silva in July at UFC on FOX 25 in New York. So far, nothing has come to fruition – though we know now that his suspension will be up and he’ll be able to return.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 106, check out the UFC Events section of the site.