Three fighters who competed in the PFL playoffs last month failed drug tests and are facing discipline from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Glaico Franca and Luis Rafael Laurentino both tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol, and Ramsey Nijem tested positive for marijuana, NSAC chief assistant Jeff Mullen told ESPN on Wednesday.
The three fighters had temporary suspensions extended at an NSAC meeting Wednesday in Las Vegas. They are each expected to have full disciplinary hearings Dec. 18, Mullen said.
Franca and Laurentino told MMA Fighting that they believe the drug-test failures came from contaminated supplements.
"I was caught by surprise, because I'm a 100 percent clean athlete, so you don't expect to fail a drug test," Franca told the site. "I will prove that this stanozolol metabolite that showed up in my urine test came from a contaminated supplement."
None of the three fighterse made it through the PFL playoffs in their respective divisions to the $1 million championship finals, so none are scheduled for the PFL season-ending event Dec. 31 in New York.
Franca reached the PFL welterweight semifinals Oct. 11 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, falling by majority decision to David Michaud. Laurentino fell in the PFL featherweight quarterfinals to Jeremy Kennedy by first-round TKO on Oct. 17 at the same venue. Nijem was beaten by Natan Schulte in the PFL lightweight quarterfinals Oct. 17 at Mandalay.
Franca, Laurentino and Nijem are all facing suspensions and fines from the Nevada commission. Franca could have his win over Andre Fialho in the quarterfinals Oct. 10 overturned to a no contest due to the failed drug test.
