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          Former UFC champion Lyoto Machida accepts 18-month suspension

          • Brett OkamotoNov 16, 2016, 07:26 PM
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              Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
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          Former UFC champion Lyoto Machida has accepted an 18-month suspension for his declared use of a banned substance in April.

          The 18-month suspension is dated retroactively to the fighter's disclosure. He will be eligible to compete again on Oct. 9, 2017.

          Machida (22-7) had been scheduled to face Dan Henderson on April 16 in Tampa but was pulled from the event days beforehand for a potential anti-doping violation.

          It was later revealed that Machida disclosed his use of a banned substance to the United States Anti-Doping Agency during an out-of-competition test. Machida told USADA at the time that he was unaware the substance was banned.

          In a statement on Wednesday, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) confirmed the substance as 7-keto-DHEA. The out-of-competition sample that Machida provided in April also showed the presence of the banned substance.

          Machida faced a maximum penalty of a two-year suspension, but he received a reduced sanction because of the circumstances of his violation.

          A former light heavyweight champion now fighting at middleweight, Machida, 38, has not fought since June 2015.