What's new at Ludus Martial Arts

We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.

USADA hands Francisco Rivera four-year suspension

Former UFC bantamweight Francisco Rivera is the second fighter since the UFC formed its relationship with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to get a four-year suspension.

USADA today announced the news after Rivera’s (11-7 MMA, 4-6 UFC) case and subsequent suspension were reviewed by an independent arbitrator. Rivera tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol during an out-of-competition urine sample collected on July 23, 2016.

More from USADA’s statement on Rivera’s situation:

After a thorough investigation into the circumstances of Rivera’s case, USADA concluded that the clenbuterol levels detected in his sample were inconsistent with what could be expected from meat contamination. Furthermore, Rivera was unable to provide independently verifiable evidence to support his claim that he had traveled to Northern Mexico and ingested meat in the days leading up to the relevant sample collection. Thereafter, Rivera opted to have his case submitted to a neutral arbitrator for resolution.

In advance of the arbitration hearing, USADA’s ongoing investigation revealed that several pieces of evidence presented by Rivera to USADA and the arbitrator had been falsified to support the athlete’s claims that the substance had originated from contaminated meat in Mexico.

Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, deceitful or obstructive conduct intended to avoid the detection or adjudication of an anti-doping policy violation may be regarded as aggravating circumstances, which can lead to an increased period of ineligibility. In this case, the independent arbitrator concluded that Rivera’s conduct warranted an increase from the standard two-year period of ineligibility for a first offense, to the maximum four-year period of ineligibility due to aggravating circumstances.

According to USADA, Rivera’s four-year ineligibility period began on Aug. 17, 2016. “Cisco” last competed at UFC 201 in July 2016 where he suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Erik Perez. He’s currently on a three-fight losing skid and will be almost 40 when his suspension is complete.

In December 2017, Rivera announced he was a free agent. Whether he will choose to accept fights in a region which does not adhere to USADA’s oversight remains to be seen.

For complete documentation on Rivera’s case, provided by USADA, click here.

And for more on the UFC schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

The 10 largest UFC attendances in history

There have been over 650 events in UFC history since its debut in 1993. Of those events, the 10 atop the all-time attendance records provided memorable moments amplified by unique environments with palpable energy. The top 10 largest attendances in UFC history feature six countries: Canada (4), Australia (2),...

Max Holloway’s coach breaks down matchup against ‘oversized bantamweight’ Ilia Topuria

Max Holloway’s coach believes Ilia Topuria’s style works in their favor. Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) captured the BMF title with a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje in their lightweight bout at UFC 300. He has since gone back-and-forth with featherweight champion Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who could...

come and try a ludus mma class free!

We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.

With your FREE PASS, you can:

  • Try as many classes as you’d like,
  • Explore the facility
  • Talk to our coaches one-on-one about what you can expect as a member

© Copyright 2024 - Ludus Martial Arts - 730 Beach Blvd, Unit 105, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250.

(904) 374-4186 / ludusmartialarts@gmail.com