Diego Brandao temporarily suspended by NSAC following UFC 195 drug test failure

Diego Brandao is the latest UFC fighter to be punished for a drug test violation.

The Brazilian featherweight has been temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for marijuana metabolites in an in-competition drug test on the night of UFC 195. Brandao suffered a third-round submission defeat at the hands of Brian Ortega on January 2 and the levels of marijuana metabolites in his system at the time of the test exceeded both the World Anti-Doping Agency (180 ng/ml) and NSAC (150 ng/ml) concentration levels. The Ultimate Fighter 14 winner will receive a full hearing when the NSAC meet at a later date when his fate will be determined. The NSAC have a history of strict punishments for marijuana offenders with the most high-profile case garnering all sorts of public outrage when Nick Diaz was, last year, handed a five-year ban and $165,000 (€148,000) fine which ended up being reduced to an 18-month suspension and $100,000 (€89,000) after a settlement agreed upon in January. That was due to the fact that Diaz was a recidivist in terms of multiple test failures for marijuana so any punishment served to Brandao isn't expected to be at that level.