David Branch hit with two-year suspension from USADA
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Make that two fighters in one week that have now found themselves suspended for two-years as David Branch has tested positive.
After news broke just yesterday of UFC flyweight, Sarah Frota’s two-year USADA suspension, yet another one has been handed out.
USADA revealed on Wednesday that former World Series of Fighting middleweight and light heavyweight champion, and current UFC middleweight, David Branch, has been suspended for two-years. The suspension comes via the result of a positive test sample for a human growth hormone on May 24 of this year.
USADA’s full statement can be read below.
“Branch, 37, tested positive for ipamorelin as the result of a urine sample he provided out-of-competition on May 24, 2019. Ipamorelin is in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
“Ipamorelin is a potent Growth Hormone Secretagogue that stimulates the brain to release human growth hormone and is used by athletes as a performance-enhancing drug. The use of prohibited peptides by athletes and consumers for performance or physique enhancement purposes (including recovery from injury) poses serious health risks, and these peptides are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human use or consumption.
“Branch’s two-year period of ineligibility, the standard sanction for a non-Specified Substance under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, began on July 26, 2019, the date his provisional suspension was imposed.”
For Branch, this test failure could likely put an end to his second stint with the UFC as he’s gone 2-3 since returning in May 2017. His most recent victory came over Thiago Santos by first-round knockout in April 2018. Following the big win over the future light heavyweight title challenger, Branch would drop two straight to the likes of Jared Cannonier and Jack Hermansson.
He was supposed to be taking on Andrew Sanchez at UFC Vancouver this past Saturday but was reportedly injured out of the bout. This led to Marvin Vettori filling in for Branch. However, an illness to Sanchez would end up striking and canceling the fight entirely.
UPDATE: Branch has since been released from the UFC per a report from Mike Russell that was later confirmed by MMA Fighting.
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The Scrap’s Drake Riggs is an MMA writer and YouTuber based out of Brush Prairie, Washington who specializes in feature pieces, the women’s fight scene, lists, news coverage, and rankings. Riggs has been a passionate MMA fan since 2009 and has written for various news sources. You can follow him on Twitter (@Dre_Kriggs).
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