After a breakout run that marked her as one of the UFC’s rising strawweight contenders, Iasmin Lucindo’s momentum was abruptly halted last year. A September drug test returned an adverse finding, forcing the cancellation of her scheduled bout against Gillian Robertson at the UFC’s final ESPN event on December 13. In November, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) confirmed that the Fortaleza native had tested positive for the banned substance mesterolone. At the time, the UFC’s anti-doping authority withheld details on the length of the penalty as discussions with Lucindo were ongoing, but that process has now concluded, with CSAD announcing final verdict details on the matter.

According to an MMA Mania report, Iasmin Lucindo will remain suspended until June 24, 2026. The nine-month period of ineligibility was backdated to September 24, 2025, the date CSAD collected the out-of-competition sample that triggered the investigation. It is also worth noting that CSAD has forwarded its findings to the Nevada Athletic Commission, which is separately reviewing the case under its own regulatory framework.

While that is a significant amount of time away from the cage, some fans may feel it is not overly extensive. For comparison, Kamaru Usman’s brother, Mohammed Usman, was suspended for peptides for two and a half years. So why is the Brazilian facing a relatively shorter suspension? CSAD addressed that as well.

After Lucindo tested positive for the prohibited substance last year, her manager spoke to ESPN and claimed she did not knowingly use any banned substance. Supporting that claim, CSAD clarified that the #7-ranked UFC strawweight contender may have ingested it unintentionally, probably through dietary supplements, noting that she remained cooperative throughout the testing process.

“Throughout CSAD’s investigation, the evidence collected indicated that Lucindo Bezerra did not intentionally use mesterolone to gain a performance advantage,” CSAD’s statement read. “She cooperated fully with CSAD’s investigation, including submitting to a detailed interview and providing official government documentation from a Brazilian pharmacy where she obtained compounded dietary supplements prior to the adverse finding. The documentation indicated that the pharmacy regularly compounded products containing mesterolone and could not rule out the possibility that legal dietary supplements provided to Lucindo Bezerra may have been inadvertently contaminated with mesterolone.”

Adding to the UFC strawweight star’s history of remaining clean, CSAD also unveiled that the amount of mesterolone found in September was minimal, which played a key role in Lucindo receiving a relatively short suspension of just nine months.

“Lucindo Bezerra’s testing history also supported low-level exposure to mesterolone,” the anti-doping body added. “She provided a negative sample in August 2025, as well as a negative sample in October 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, before she was notified of the adverse finding. The estimated concentration of mesterolone in her September sample was minimal. However, because she had already used up some of the supplements obtained from the Brazilian pharmacy, CSAD was unable to definitively conclude that the low-level adverse finding resulted from a contaminated supplement.”

Now, according to the MMA Mania report, the Brazilian standout will be looking to make her comeback in the summer or fall once her suspension ends. Given her current position in the division, Lucindo will be in a strong spot to prepare herself for a title push. That makes her return especially intriguing, as the right matchup could go a long way in strengthening her case for a shot at gold. 

Best matchup options for Iasmin Lucindo following suspension

Iasmin Lucindo is currently ranked No. 7 in the strawweight division and sits within touching distance of a title opportunity. However, as she looks to make a strong comeback following her suspension, she will need to choose her opponent wisely to keep her championship ambitions intact. To do that, the Brazilian may have to square off against these two contenders before earning a shot at the title.

At present, the top half of the strawweight division is largely booked. By the time Lucindo returns, most of those matchups should already be settled. That could actually work in her favor, opening up some intriguing options. One logical starting point would be a fight against the winner of Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson, which is set for March 14, 2026, at the UFC Apex.

A win over that opponent would push Lucindo a few steps higher in the rankings, giving her a solid two-fight winning streak. From there, the Brazilian 115-pounder could be ready to test herself against former title challenger Yan Xiaonan, with the No. 4 spot in the rankings likely on the line.

That said, as Iasmin Lucindo prepares for her comeback, the big question remains. Will the UFC give her the matchups she needs to fast-track her title ambitions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.