Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has been slapped with a one-year suspension from the sport following a failed drug test.
The United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) has given the maximum punishment under UFC's anti-doping policy after Lesnar was tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite, 4-hydroxyclomiphene on two different occasions - an out of competition test in June 2016 followed by an in-competition test in July, when he defeated Mark Hunt by unanimous decision at UFC 200 on his comeback after a four-and-a-half years hiatus.
"Lesnar, 39, tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite, 4-hydroxyclomiphene, following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on June 28, 2016, and an in-competition urine test conducted on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200 in Las Vegas," an USADA statement said, as quoted by news.com.au.
Also read: WWE rumours: Brock Lesnar-Goldberg rematch, Undertaker v John Cena at Wrestlemania 33
Notably, the Nevada State Athletic Commision (NSAC) suspended Lesnar for one year in December last year and overturned his UFC 200 win to a no-contest.
USADA's suspension also falls in line with NSAC's announcement and his period of ineligibility began from July 2016. The WWE superstar can return to the octagon in July this year if he decided to make another UFC comeback.
Lesnar (6-3) was the former heavyweight champion and he held the UFC belt between 2008-2010. He won the championship by beating Randy Couture at UFC 91 in just his fourth fight, in 2008. Juggling between UFC and WWE, the 39-year-old became a superstar in the latter.
Lesnar's Royal Rumble buildup
However, the lowest point of Lesnar's WWE career came when he lost his Survivor Series battle in less than two minutes, to Goldberg, who was making a comeback to the ring in November last year. The "embarrassed and humiliated" superstar will now be part of 2017's first Pay-Per-View event of WWE - The Royal Rumble, scheduled to be held on 29 January.
The match-up between Lesnar and Goldberg will now be among the most anticipated clashes of next year. Also, Royal Rumble is likely to witness Goldberg, who will enter the ring first, being taken out early by Lesnar.
Then, there is a possibility of them fighting again at Wrestlemania 33, to be held in April next year, which will pave way for huge hype over the event as it is up to Lesner now to gun for revenge.
