Machida Suspended 18 Months by USADA

Lyoto Machida has finally received his sanction from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency following his disclosure of using a banned substance in April. USADA announced on Wednesday that they have suspended Machida 18 months, retroactive to April 8, 2016. Machida will be able to compete in October of 2017.

Ahead of his planned April bout against Dan Henderson, Machida disclosed to USADA that he took a supplement containing the banned substance 7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Machida said he did not know the supplement contained DHEA, but it had been listed on the label of the product.

Because Machida came to USADA to disclose the use of the substance and cooperated in the testing procedure, he has received an 18-month suspension rather than the standard two-year ban. 

Machida, 38, has lost two of his last three fights, the first of which being a five-round decision to then-champion Chris Weidman. He defeated C.B. Dollaway in December of 2014, but has since been stopped by both Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero.