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Irish UFC welterweight Cathal Pendred. AP/Press Association Images

Another one of Cathal Pendred's opponents has failed a drug test

Augusto Montano has been suspended for one year.

AUGUSTO MONTANO PUT in a pretty dismal display when he lost to Cathal Pendred last month.

It’s difficult to imagine his performance against the Irish welterweight in Mexico City being any worse, but it turns out that it was ‘enhanced’ by a banned substance.

The UFC has announced that Montano, who lost to Pendred via unanimous decision on 13 June, tested positive for exogenous origin of testosterone metabolites in the wake of the UFC 188 bout. The 30-year-old Mexican has subsequently been handed a one-year ban.

“The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes,” said a UFC statement.

“As a result of the positive test, Montano has accepted a one-year suspension, effective from the date of the bout, for violating the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC.”

Montano is the second fighter from the UFC 188 card to be banned after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Gilbert Melendez was also suspended for 12 months for the use of testosterone metabolites.

The test failures for both Melendez and Montano came just a couple of weeks before the introduction of the UFC’s new USADA-led anti-doping programme, which means the pair have escaped more severe punishment.

It’s not the first time one of Cathal Pendred’s opponents has tested positive either. The SBG fighter overcame Mike King in his UFC debut last July in Dublin, after which King failed a test. Pendred still managed to overcome both opponents, however. The lesson here? The drugs don’t work, kids.

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Author
Paul Dollery
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