Which UFC Heavyweight Has Been Suspended for 30 Months for Using PEDs

Which UFC Heavyweight Has Been Suspended for 30 Months for Using PEDs — Is It Jon Jones Again?

The UFC heavyweight division is once again dealing with a doping controversy, but this time the name at the center of it is not Jon Jones. Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced on Friday that Mohammed Usman has accepted a 30-month suspension after testing positive for banned substances ahead of a scheduled UFC Rio bout in October 2025.

Usman was set to face Valter Walker at the event, but the fight never materialized. The positive test result was returned just days before UFC Rio, leaving Walker without an opponent and forcing a late change to the card.

Why Mohammed Usman Received an Extended Suspension

According to CSAD, the agency responsible for overseeing drug testing in the UFC, Mohammed Usman admitted to using testosterone prior to the Walker fight as well as on previous occasions. He also acknowledged using the banned peptide BPC-157 earlier in 2025. The sample that triggered the case was collected on Sept. 8, with results finalized shortly before the event.

SHOP: Kickboxing Equipment

In its official statement, CSAD noted that Usman eventually took responsibility for the violations, but only after investigators confronted him with evidence gathered during an independent and detailed investigation. The agency accused Usman of attempting to deceive officials by providing false explanations regarding his substance use.

CSAD explained that when a UFC athlete uses multiple prohibited substances and engages in deceptive or obstructive behavior to avoid an anti-doping violation, aggravating circumstances are considered to exist. Because of this, the agency determined it was appropriate to add six months to the standard two-year suspension, extending Usman’s ban to a total of 30 months.

The younger brother of former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, Mohammed Usman rose to prominence after winning season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter. Known as “The Motor,” he last competed in June 2025, when he earned a decision victory over Hamdy Abdelwahab, improving his UFC record to 4-2.

Usman’s suspension is set to end on April 9, 2028, at which point he will be 39 years old. Whether he returns to competition after such a lengthy absence remains uncertain, but the case serves as another reminder of the UFC’s strict anti-doping stance and the significant consequences that come with violating it.