Juancamilo Ronderos suspended nine months after testing positive for marijuana, cocaine

LAS VEGAS – UFC flyweight Juancamilo Ronderos has been suspended nine months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and fined a total of $2,245.36 after testing positive for both marijuana and cocaine.

The commission issued the ruling at Thursday’s monthly meeting, which was held at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas.

In July, Ronderos was retroactively suspended for one month by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the UFC’s official anti-doping partner, following an in-competition test collected on May 22 at UFC Fight Night 188 that was positive for “cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine,” according to the organization.

Ronderos (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who stepped into a bout with David Dvorak on just one day’s notice, was submitted in the first round of the fight.

However, because the contest fell under the jurisdiction of the NSAC, the commission also had to resolve the case. According to an agreement reached prior to the hearing, Ronderos was suspended nine months, leaving him eligible to return to competition on Feb. 22, 2022.

Additionally, he was fined $2,100 and ordered to pay prosecution fees of $145.36. Lastly, upon the completion of his suspension, he must submit clean drug tests to the commission 30, 15 and three days out from his first scheduled contest in Nevada.

In July, the NSAC elected to stop issuing punishments for marijuana, though it will continue to test for it. It has not applied that policy retroactively to any athletes who tested positive prior to the change.