Before he became a household name, Sean O’Malley’s UFC journey was nearly derailed by a substance with a name most fans had never heard, Ostarine. ‘Suga’ was suspended for a case in 2018 and 2019, which was complicated and took some time to be solved. Even Conor McGregor did not spare him after the case got over and took jibes at him while the Ryan Garcia PED incident was being hyped.

So, what really happened? Why was he suspended? And how long did it take for ‘Suga’ to clean up the mess? Let’s break it down.

Sean O’Malley tests positive for the banned substance, gets suspended

O’Malley was suspended due to traces of the prohibited Ostarine being found in his system, and the bantamweight had announced it himself to his fans. He was scheduled to fight Marlon Vera at UFC 239 in Las Vegas, and it was supposed to be his return fight after being suspended for 6 months by the NSAC for testing positive for the same substance. 

Now, what is Ostarine?

It is a selective androgen receptor modulator, and in short, it stands for SARM. This was primarily developed to treat diseases such as osteoporosis. Yet, if taken in a particular dosage, it can have an effect like anabolic steroids.  

He did not hide anything and revealed the case about his suspension and that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, would not be sanctioning him because the traces were still in his system. He admitted that he had not taken any dr–s, and it was a protein supplement.

However, USADA director of communications Adam Woullard confirmed that he would not face any violation. He was tested positive on the same day before UFC 229. It seems like the Ostarine does not leave him alone, sadly. 

Before UFC 239, traces of oestrogen were found in Suga’s system, and the NSAC suspended him for six months. However, the initial two-year ban was reduced to six months. UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky told ESPN that Suga had tested positive for traces of Oestrogen. However, the fighter had two other tests the same year, which were reported as negative.

“I feel very bad for Sean,“ Novitzky declared. “I feel very bad for all his fans who were looking forward to watching him fight in Las Vegas. But there is a part of me, there is a part of the UFC that, in the long run, likes what Nevada is doing, because once again everybody is gonna get that chance in a very public forum to hear those experts talk about this substance, to talk about anti-doping now that you’re able to detect at such low levels.”

Since the amount of Ostarine was very low, it was not enough to have effects like an anabolic steroid. Novitzky even said, “Had [Sean O’Malley] been a Major League Baseball player, this would not have been reported out as a positive test.”

Even O’Malley was adamant that he had not taken any prohibited dr–s intentionally and had identified a dietary supplement that had caused the main mixup. He even uploaded on Instagram, “I have no intention and am fully confident that the results of this case will show that,” O’Malley wrote. “I love my fans and I hope the impact on my career is minimal and I’m back to fighting real soon,” he added.

When did Sean O’Malley return from his suspension

After the dust settled, Sean O’Malley returned to the Octagon on March 7, 2020, at UFC 248. His opponent? Jose Quinonez. It was his first fight since the lengthy suspension saga. The match served as a statement. Not just that he was clean, but that he was back.

O’Malley had previously been scheduled to fight at UFC 239, but had to withdraw when Ostarine was once again found in his system. However, USADA ruled that the trace amounts did not represent a new violation. They concluded it was residual from his prior suspension and did not re-penalize him.

While USADA didn’t impose new sanctions, the NSAC had the final say. And O’Malley chose to take the six-month hit, ending the drama once and for all as he finished Quinonez via vicious TKO in the first round. However, this wasn’t the only time ‘Suga’ has received a suspension, although the latest one wasn’t for Ostarine!

Sean O’Malley receives ‘indefinite’ medical suspension

Fast forward to 2024, and O’Malley fell off the UFC radar again. But this time, it wasn’t about PEDs. Following his decision win over Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at UFC 299 in Miami, the Florida State Athletic Commission issued an indefinite medical suspension.

During the post-fight press conference, O’Malley was nursing two separate injuries, one to his leg and another to his right arm. However, due to medical privacy protocols, no exact diagnosis was released publicly. Meanwhile, ‘Chito’, who took considerable damage in the bout, was issued a 60-day medical suspension.

Ultimately, the Ostarine saga might be behind him, but now he faces a different challenge. One that hinges upon revenge. At UFC 316, Sean O’Malley is set to take on bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a highly anticipated rematch. 

Will he bounce back from his loss to ‘The Machine’ like he did with the controversies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!