Braxton Smith, a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, has been handed a two-year suspension by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after he failed three drug tests for the exogenous administration of testosterone and/or its precursors.

The tests were conducted out-of-competition in April and early May, as well as in-competition on the day of a match in May, where Smith made his UFC debut but lost to Parker Porter in the first round. As Smith was not informed of the two pre-fight failures, USADA combined all three positive tests into a single violation, which led to his suspension.

Prior to signing with the UFC, Smith had won five consecutive MMA fights via knockout in the first round between May 2022 and March 2023, after making a comeback following an eight-year hiatus from the sport.

The USADA has ruled that Smith can only compete again after April 19, 2025. Furthermore, the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, the agency that oversaw Smith’s pay-per-view debut match, has jurisdiction over his positive tests, which could lead to additional sanctions.