UFC bantamweight Miles Johns will have to sit out until February after he tested positive for a banned substance surrounding his most recent fight on Sept. 23.
On Tuesday, the Nevada Athletic Commission announced an agreed adjudication agreement with the fighter after he tested positive for the M3 metabolite, which is found in DHCMT — better known as oral turinabol, an anabolic steroid.
As a result, Johns was ultimately suspended for four and a half months with his eligibility to compete again coming on or after Feb. 6, 2024. He faces a $2,300 fine, which was 10 percent of his fight purse ($23,000), along with $157.04 in prosecution fees.
The M3 metabolite has come under scrutiny in recent years, particularly after UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones tested positive for trace amounts the same substance numerous times, which resulted in a long, painstaking investigation into the drug and the viability for the substance when found in trace amounts in athletes.
During the monthly meeting in November, the Nevada Athletic Commission adopted new thresholds for several banned substances that would no long trigger an immediate suspension but rather just flagged as an atypical finding until a further investigation was completed.
The M3 metabolite was among the substances noted for the changes in the commission rules.
In the fight, Johns scored a unanimous decision win over Dan Argueta, which still stands because the commission didn’t attempt to overturn the victory as part of the ruling handed down on Tuesday.
Johns will have to undergo standard drug testing protocols when returning to fight in the state of Nevada again after his suspension is lifted.
This story originally appeared on MMA fighting