Two UFC fighters, Kyler Phillips and Darrius Flowers, have been handed suspensions by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) after both testing positive for the banned substance ostarine. MMA Junkie’s Nolan King reported the news, and disciplinary hearings regarding both suspensions are expected to occur in April.
The suspensions explain why Phillips was pulled from his scheduled fight against Raphael Assunção at UFC Fight Night 221. The Brazilian fighter went on to face Davey Grant instead, where he was submitted in the final seconds of the bout. Following the fight, Assunção announced his retirement from the sport.
Phillips’ suspension comes as an unfortunate setback for the bantamweight fighter, who has shown great promise in the division. Since joining the UFC in 2019 after appearing on The Ultimate Fighter and Dana White’s Contender Series, Phillips has won four out of five fights, with his most recent victory being a submission win against Marcelo Rojo at UFC 271.
Flowers, who was also suspended, was set to make his UFC debut against Erick Gonzalez at UFC Fight Night 220 before being pulled from the card. He earned a UFC contract after injuring Amiran Gogoladze with a slam on Dana White’s Contender Series and had been on a three-fight win streak, including two stoppage victories in LFA, prior to his suspension.
The suspensions serve as a reminder of the strict anti-doping policies in the UFC and the NSAC’s commitment to upholding them. The disciplinary hearings in April will determine the length of Phillips and Flowers’ suspensions and whether any additional action will be taken.
