Top UFC women’s bantamweight Mayra Bueno Silva is likely to have the biggest win of her UFC career overturned due to the presence of a banned substance in her system that she says stems from the use of ADHD medication.
Bueno Silva, 31, defeated Holly Holm by second-round submission July 15 in the UFC on ESPN 49 main event. On Thursday, Silva has a disciplinary hearing scheduled at the Nevada Athletic Commission’s monthly meeting, which she revealed Monday is due to the failed test.
“It is with deep regret that I have to announce I failed a drug test that I took the week of my fight against Holly Holm,” Bueno Silva wrote. “I want to begin by saying I have never in my life taken a substance to enhance my ability in or outside the cage. I have tested positive for a substance that is consistent with the prescription medication I take for my ADHD. I have been dealing with this disorder my entire life and it affects me in a multitude of ways.”
“I have provided a plethora of documents and explanations to USADA and the Nevada State Commission detailing the disorder, the effects of the disorder on my daily life and my decision making in the ingestion of the prescription medicine. I am fully cooperating with USADA, the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the UFC to make sure that all information is available and I fully acknowledge the presence of the substance in my system. I discontinued this medication at the beginning of fight week, like I always have in the past. So while it appeared in a small amount in my system, I am told by experts that it would not have an effect on my in-competition performance at that level.”
The hearing Thursday is expected to officially instate a temporary suspension until a sanctioning ruling is reached and announced at a future commission meeting. Punishment for the failure likely includes a suspension, fine, and an overturning of the win vs. Holm to a “no contest.”
“Please, before you make any judgements, understand that I have been dealing with this my whole life and I am devastated that this has happened in my career,” Bueno Silva wrote. “I look forward to coming to a resolution and putting this behind me. I look forward to fighting again for the best organization in the world. I am the next champion and I am ready to fight!”
The win vs. Holm was Silva’s fourth in a row, and she had aligned herself nicely in the discussion as to who should compete for the vacant UFC women’s bantamweight title. Other plausible candidates include Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington, among others.
