MMA Odds and Ends for Friday: Kelvin Gastelum flagged by USADA for marijuana, UFC 210 open workout highlights

Kelvin Gastelum flagged by USADA for marijuana, off UFC 212 card

Kelvin Gastelum has tested positive for marijuana metabolites by USADA and has been removed from his UFC 212 co-main event fight against Anderson Silva. Gastelum (14-2) is coming off a first-round TKO over Vitor Belfort at UFC Fight Night 106 and has won three straight fights.

Here’s the statement released by the UFC…

“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed Kelvin Gastelum of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation involving Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (“Carboxy-THC”) which is a metabolite of marijuana and/or hashish, above the decision limit of 180 ng/mL, stemming from an in-competition sample collected in conjunction with his recent bout in Fortaleza, Brazil on March 11, 2017.

USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case involving Gastelum, as it relates to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and future UFC participation. Because the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) was the regulatory body overseeing the fight in Fortaleza and has licensing jurisdiction over Gastelum, USADA will work to ensure that the Commission has the necessary information to determine its proper judgment of Gastelum’s potential anti-doping violation. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.

As a result of the potential anti-doping violation against Gastelum, USADA has placed him under a provisional suspension. While the UFC Anti-Doping Policy affords Gastelum full and fair due process rights before any possible adjudication of his case, because of the proximity to Gastelum’s scheduled June 3rd bout against Anderson Silva, Gastelum is being removed from the card and a replacement is currently being sought.”

Travis Browne vs. Aleksei Oleinik scheduled for UFC 213

According to MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, the UFC is looking to book Travis Browne vs. Aleksei Oleinik for the UFC 213 card on July 8th in Las Vegas. Browne (18-6-1) heads into this matchup on a three-fight skid, most recently being knockout out by Derrick Lewis in February at UFC Fight Night Halifax. The 34-year-old will be looking for his first win since January 2016.

Oleinik (51-10-1) has gone 3-1 in the UFC and has won 12 of his last 13 fights overall. The 39-year-old hasn’t gone the distance in a fight since 2010. The only matchup officially booked for this event at T-Mobile Arena is a heavyweight trilogy fight between Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum.

UFC 210 Embedded – Episode #4