O'Malley removed from UFC 239 after testing positive for banned substance
Bantamweight fighter Sean O'Malley has been removed from the UFC 239 card after the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) temporarily banned him for testing positive for a low level of the banned substance Ostarine, the fighter announced Friday on Instagram.
O'Malley, who was slated to fight Marlon Vera on July 6 in Las Vegas, wrote in his post that the United States Anti-Doping Agency told him the trace amounts of the substance found are probably residual from last year.
The NSAC previously suspended the 24-year-old for six months ahead of his October 2018 bout with Jose Alberto Quinonez. O'Malley wrote that the NSAC will hold a hearing, but he will likely not be suspended since he already served one ban.
"I look forward to publicly discussing my case before the Nevada State Athletic Commission with scientific experts who can explain why very low levels of Ostarine are showing up in my system," O'Malley stated in his post. "I want to make one thing very clear - I have never purposely taken any prohibited substance to gain an advantage."
O'Malley (10-0) last fought at UFC 222 in March 2018, beating Andre Soukhamthath by unanimous decision.
A light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Thiago Santos currently headlines UFC 239 along with the co-main event featuring Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm in a title fight for the women's bantamweight championship.
- With h/t to ESPN's Brett Okamoto