Former UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano has spoken out for the first time since accepting a six-month suspension for a banned substance in her system.
Montano, 30, thanked her friends, family and promoter while noting the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency was “unable to locate the source of my contamination.”
“I will continue to remain diligent in my responsibilities to USADA and the UFC,” she wrote Wednesday on her Instagram page.
Here’s Montano’s full statement:
First and foremost, I would like to thank my friends, family, and all of my fans for their continued support during this difficult period in my life. As you all know, USADA was unable to locate the source of my contamination. I will continue to remain diligent in my responsibilities to USADA and the UFC. I would like to acknowledge Donna Marcolini and Jeff Novitzky with the UFC for their assistance in this process. This suspension has further inspired me to work even harder of achieving my goals in the UFC. I hope to make my return this summer.
#ufc #yeegonicco #warriorspirit#nativepride #wmma #fighter#nevergiveup #followyourbliss
Montano (4-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was among four fighters who settled with USADA after the agency discovered low levels of the banned selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) ostarine in an out-of-competition test. The levels of ostarine were consistent with supplement contamination, USADA said.
Montano’s suspension is retroactive to Nov. 15, 2018, meaning she’ll be free to compete beginning May 15. The ex-champ hasn’t fought since winning the inaugural flyweight title on “The Ultimate Fighter 26.” She was sidelined with tonsilitis and a foot injury that delayed her first title defense. And this past September, she was stripped of the title after a botched weight cut nixed a fight with Valentina Shevchenko, who went on to claim the vacant title.
Ostarine has repeatedly turned up in positive tests from UFC athletes, and USADA has pushed to outlaw supplements that contain the SARM. Montano’s teammate, Tim Means, settled with USADA in 2016 after linking a positive ostarine test to a tainted supplement.
UFC fighters Sean O’Malley, Augusto Mendes and Marvin Vettori were among those who also accepted six-month suspensions for low levels of the banned substance. Mendes waited 14 months for a formal resolution of his case, while Montano waited five months.
USADA attributed the delay to the long results management process in tainted supplement cases. The agency no longer announces potential anti-doping violations, instead waiting for a case – or cases – to be resolved.
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