Every sport has some rules and regulations that should be followed by every sportsperson, but some people don’t follow them and as a result, they have to face suspension or pay fines. In the MMA world, there are certain restrictions on the use of any type of banned drug or substance. In the UFC, there are no exceptions to the ban and many fighters have gotten into trouble for the use of marijuana. Here is the list of fighters who got suspended for the use of marijuana.
10. Chris Barnett
Chris Barnett began his professional MMA career in 2009 but entered the UFC in 2021. He has a fantastic record of 22 wins and only eight losses. Shortly after his UFC debut, Barnett was suspended for six months and fined over $1,000 due to testing positive for marijuana. His test came positive after the Nevada Commission decided not to penalize fighters for marijuana use, but since it was backdated, the heavyweight still faced a suspension.
9. Alen Amedovski
Alen Amedovski had a good start in his professional MMA career, but when he entered the UFC, he was not able to win a single bout. Amedovski’s professional record is 8-4 and all four of his losses came in the UFC. The interesting thing is that the Macedonian fighter has won all of his eight fights via TKO and KO. He was suspended in 2019 after THC was found in his system. Alen got a six-month suspension.
8. Luis Pena
Since his professional MMA debut, Luis has fought in various promotions. He made his UFC debut on The Ultimate Fighter. Pena was guaranteed a spot in the Ultimate Fighter Season 27 finale. He participated in 12 matches, winning nine of them. He has also faced legal troubles since his UFC debut. Pena was suspended from the promotion for marijuana use in September 2020. The suspension lasted four and a half months, but due to several arrests related to assault, he was released from his UFC contract.
7. Jamahal Hill
Jamahal Hill is an amazing fighter and he entered the UFC in 2020. He won both of his initial bouts in the UFC octagon that year. However, the decision for the second fight was overturned because Hill tested positive for marijuana. The decision was reversed to no contest after four months of the bout. “Sweet Dreams” was suspended for six months and fined 15% of his winnings. Since his return, Jamahal has been successful and lost only one bout. His MMA record is 12-1-1.
6. Kevin Croom
Kevin Croom has fought in a number of promotions since his professional MMA debut. His MMA record is 22 wins and 15 losses. Croom entered the UFC in 2020 but was not successful there as he lost three of his four fights. In 2020, “Crash” fought on short notice and that was actually his first fight in the UFC octagon. Croom won the fight via submission but was tested positive for marijuana, which resulted in his four-months suspension and a fine of $1,800.
5. Cynthia Calvillo
Cynthia entered the professional MMA world in 2016 and soon made her UFC debut. She was given a contract and was named Rookie of the Year in 2017. She won her first three fights in the promotion. Calvillo received her first loss at UFC 219 by Carla Esparza and was later tested positive for marijuana as well. She got a six-month suspension, which was extended to nine months for various reasons and Calvillo also had to pay a fine of $6,150.
4. Niko Price
Niko Price entered the UFC in December 2016 and still competes in the welterweight division of the promotion. Price is a great fighter and has won “Performance of the Night” four times. In 2017, when Price fought his second fight in the UFC, he defeated Alex Morono via knockout, but the decision was overturned as Price tested positive for marijuana. As a result, he was suspended for six months and fined $8,500.
3. Jose Flores
Flores first competed on the first season of Dana White’s Contender Series, but he lost the match via submission. He began his professional MMA career in 2013 and has amassed a record of nine wins and two losses. Jose competes in the lightweight division and most of his fights have taken place outside the UFC. However, in 2020, Jose competed once again and lost via submission. After the fight, he tested positive for marijuana and was briefly suspended and fined $750.
2. Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle began his professional MMA career in 2012 by fighting in the Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale. After this, he was signed by the promotion and fought a number of fights before getting suspended in 2012 for failing a drug test with marijuana in his system. Riddle disagreed with the punishment, but soon after he failed another test that ultimately led to his release. After this, he entered the wrestling world and fought in the WWE.
1. Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz is one of the toughest and most entertaining fighters the UFC has ever had. He has a record of 26 wins and 10 losses. Diaz began his MMA career in 2001 and faced some of the best fighters in the history of the sport. However, he has faced many legal issues and multiple suspensions due to marijuana use during his career. He got his first suspension of six months in 2007. After this, Diaz got a one-year suspension in 2012 and had to pay a huge fine. In 2016, the “Diablo” got a five-year suspended sentence along with a $165,000 fine. After several appeals, he was successful in getting that sentence reduced.
Also Read: 10 UFC Fighters Who Got Longest Suspensions From USADA
