NSAC suspends Yancy Medeiros, Justin Jaynes for marijuana use – despite no longer punishing fighters for marijuana use

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NSAC suspends Yancy Medeiros, Justin Jaynes for marijuana use – despite no longer punishing fighters for marijuana use

LAS VEGAS – While the Nevada State Athletic Commission in July elected to stop punishing fighters for marijuana use, two athletes were today suspended for positive tests collected prior to the change in policy.

At today’s monthly meeting at the Grant Sawyer Office Building, commissioners issued four-and-a-half month suspensions to both lightweight Yancy Medeiros and featherweight Justin Jaynes.

Medeiros was also fined a total of $2,690.72, while Jaynes was ordered to pay a total of $1,245.36. Both amounts included prosecution fees.

A fan-favorite lightweight with a history of entertaining scraps, Medeiros (15-8 MMA, 8-6 UFC) recently concluded an eight-year stint under the UFC banner. While he collected a handful of performance bonuses during his octagon run, the Hawaiian ended his time on a four-fight slide after dropping bouts with Damir Hadzovic, Lando Vannata, Gregor Gillespie, and Donald Cerrone.

Medeiros previously had a 2013 win over Yves Edwards overturned to a no contest by the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority after testing positive for marijuana. Medeiros’ current suspension, stemming from the UFC Fight Night 190 loss to Hadzovic, ends on Nov. 9.

Meanwhile, Jaynes (16-8 MMA, 1-4 UFC), 32, debuted for the UFC in June 2020, picking up a “Performance of the Night” bonus for a 41-second stoppage of Frank Camacho. However, he was recently released from the organization after subsequently dropping consecutive fights to Charles Rosa, Devonte Smith, Gabriel Benitez, and Gavin Tucker.

Jaynes’ suspension also ends on Nov. 9

In addition to those two orders, the commission elected to uphold temporary suspensions of Chris Barnett, Rodrigo Nascimento, and Daniel Pineda pending the resolution of their complaints, all of which are expected to be resolved at the commission’s September meeting.

The 35-year-old Barnett (21-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) debuted for the UFC in May, suffering a second-round submission loss to longtime veteran heavyweight Ben Rothwell. “Beastboy” stepped in on a little more than one week’s notice for that matchup after Rothwell lost a pair of targeted opponents for the UFC Fight Night 188 clash.

Barnett was suspended following an adverse finding for carboxy THC, indicating marijuana use.

Brazil’s Nascimento picked up a second-round TKO win over fellow heavyweight Alan Baudot at July’s UFC on ESPN 26 event. It was Nascimento’s third UFC appearance after making his way to the promotion with a submission win at Dana White’s Contender Series 22 in 2019.

Nascimento’s test indicated the presence of ritalinic acid, a metabolite of methylphenidate, a banned stimulant.

The 36-year-old Pineda (27-14 MMA, 5-4 UFC) was struggling against Andre Fili at June’s UFC Fight Night 190 before being poked in the eye in the second round, when doctors declared him unable to continue. As a result, the bout was declared a no contest.

His post-fight test was flagged for the presence of amphetamine, a banned stimulant.

Pineda previously ran afoul of the NSAC while he was competing under the PFL banner. After being flagged for an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio in his system, Pineda admitted to the use of a banned substance and saw wins over Jeremy Kennedy and Movlid Khaybulaev overturned to no contests. Pineda was also suspended six months and pulled from the 2019 PFL championship fight with Lance Palmer, where he could have won $1 million.

NSAC suspends Yancy Medeiros, Justin Jaynes for marijuana use – despite no longer punishing fighters for marijuana use