Thiago Tavares made his first public statement since his failed drug test at UFC On FX: Belfort Vs. Bisping last month. Tavares was found to have a banned substance in his system, and received a nine-month suspension by the UFC.Tavares, in a press release sent to the Brazilian news site Tatame, lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov on the card.
"I'm surprised with the suspicion of doping announced by the UFC!" Tavares wrote. "In 13 fights, was submitted by seven times the anti-doping tests and I've never been accused of any illegal substance use."
Tavares went on to state that his "medical team is working in the investigation of any supplements or medications used in and out of Brazil in recent months that might have given this false positive examination."
"I'm surprised with the suspicion of doping announced by the UFC!" Tavares wrote. "In 13 fights, was submitted by seven times the anti-doping tests and I've never been accused of any illegal substance use."
Tavares went on to state that his "medical team is working in the investigation of any supplements or medications used in and out of Brazil in recent months that might have given this false positive examination."