Former UFC flyweight Ryan Benoit has received another sanction. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced Monday that Benoit was handed a 10-month suspension due to a drug test in late July that detected sleep apnea medication modafinil.
The suspension, which rules Benoit out of any competition if he re-joins the UFC roster, is set to expire in late May 2022.
Benoit’s suspension is significantly shorter than the usual two-year sanction handed out by USADA. The deduction in sentencing for Benoit comes due to “circumstances of the case,” notably due to his drug test being part of their “out of competition” testing.
Benoit had already previously faced a sanction due to modafinil, as the Nevada Athletic Commission handed him a nine-month suspension last month. The Nevada-state imposed suspension, which also included a fine of just under $3,500, related to a test that was administered in July.
UFC reportedly parted ways with Benoit in August. His run in the promotion resulted in three wins and six losses.
The recent suspension for Benoit doesn’t take him out of MMA as a whole, but it stops him from appearing in athletic competitions that work alongside USADA.
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