All You Need to Know About Amanda Ribas and Her 2 Year Doping Ban by USADA

For most fighters, UFC is the ultimate proving ground. The UFC as a promotion has been around for a very long time and over the course of its existence has built an aura around it. Fighters who take up the sport aspire to complete in the UFC and to become champions in the promotion. Amanda Ribas is no exception to the above notion. 

The Brazilian fighter’s career in the UFC did not get off to the best possible start. The UFC signed Ribas to fight in The Ultimate Fighter 25 finale against Juliana Lima. 

Unfortunately, the UFC scrapped the Brazilian fighter from the card for a potential anti-doping violation. Although she maintained her innocence and stated that she had not taken performance-enhancing drugs. However, Amanda reluctantly agreed to a two-year ban by the USADA delaying her UFC debut. 

In May 2019 the USADA released a statement saying that they were ending Ribas’ two-year suspension. Ribas was one of the few fighters banned for trace amounts of ostarine. And the USADA cleared her after they deemed it to be consistent with supplement contamination.

While speaking about the suspension to MMA Fighting, she said, “I was very upset at first because I’m a clean fighter,  I competed in an Olympic sport, judo, so I was always clean. I was training at American Top Team when they told me I had failed a doping test, and that was scary because I always did everything right, so where could that come from? I tested some supplements I was using, but having everything tested is very expensive, so I just accepted the punishment. It upset me in the beginning, but kept training.”

Read: Amanda Ribas wants 2 UFC belts- Father makes a huge statement 

Amanda Ribas takes on her toughest test to date at UFC 257

Immediately after the USADA ended her suspension, the UFC granted Ribas her debut fight in June 2019. Ever since her debut, the Brazilian fighter has been on a roll in the UFC and has beaten everyone put in front of her. 

She now faces her toughest test to date on arguably one of the biggest cards of 2021 at UFC 257. Marina Rodriguez is the obstacle between her status as a prospect and a title contender. Can Ribas go 5-0 in the promotion?