The United States Anti-Doping Agency has suspended UFC middleweight David Branch for two years for a failed drug test Branch submitted in May.
USADA announced the two-year sanction on Wednesday. Branch, 37, tested positive for ipamorelin, which falls under the class of peptide hormones. According to a release from USADA, it "stimulates the brain to release human growth hormone." The two-year suspension is dated retroactively to July 26.
Branch (22-6) has not fought since he suffered a 49-second submission loss to Jack Hermansson in a UFC Fight Night event in March. It is the first time the former WSOF champion has failed a drug test. Representatives for Branch did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Branch, of New York, made his UFC debut in 2010 but parted ways with the promotion the next year after getting off to a 2-2 start. He excelled outside of the UFC, capturing titles at 185 and 205 pounds, before re-signing with the UFC in 2017. He has gone 2-3 since rejoining the promotion.
He was scheduled to fight Andrew Sanchez earlier this month in Vancouver, British Columbia, but was removed from the card.