Currently suspended UFC fighter and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar has informed UFC that he is retiring from MMA competition, per MMAFighting.com. Lesnar has also been removed from the USADA drug-testing pool, according to USADA spokesperson Ryan Madden, which officially removed him from the UFC roster.
Last month Lesnar, 39, was suspended for one year by USADA for positively testing for clomiphene, an estrogen blocker, twice last summer and would have been eligible to return to the octagon in late July but his retirement freezes his suspension. Should Lesner ever decide to want to fight again he would have to serve the remaining days of his suspension.
“Pursuant to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, all UFC athletes serving a period of ineligibility for an anti-doping policy violation are required to remain in the USADA registered testing pool and make themselves available for testing in order to receive credit for time served under his or her sanction,” USADA’s press release regarding the sanctions for Lesnar.
“Furthermore, if an athlete retires during his or her period of ineligibility, the athlete’s sanction will be tolled until such time the athlete notifies USADA of his or her return from retirement and once again makes him or herself available for no-advance-notice, out-of-competition testing.”
Lesnar has not commented publicly on his retirement and has denied knowingly taking the banned substance.
Lesnar continues to compete for WWE and is scheduled to face Goldberg at ‘WrestleMania 33’.