UFC bantamweight accepts one-year ban from USADA

Khalid Taha failed a drug test at UFC 243 in October.

According to a USADA press release UFC bantamweight Khalid Taha (14-2) has accepted a one-year suspension in relation to an in-competition drug test failure. He tested positive for Furosemide, which is included on USADA’s list of banned diuretics and masking agents.

Taha has claimed that the drug test failure is a result of medication he took because of a problem with his eyes (per germanfightnews.com).

The urine sample that contained Furosemide was provided by Taha at UFC 243, in Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, on October 6th. That night Taha beat Bruno Gustavo da Silva by submission for his second win the in the UFC. That fight was contested at catchweight, after Taha weighed in a pound overweight.

The Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board of Victoria, who oversaw UFC 243, will decide on whether to overturn Taha’s victory. Taha’s suspension is retroactive to the night of the failed drug test. He will be eligible to compete on October 7th, 2020.

Prior to UFC 243 Taha defeated Boston Salmon via a 25-second TKO at UFC 236. His promotional debut — versus Nad Narimani — came last year at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Smith in Hamburg, Germany. Taha lost that bout, which was at featherweight, via unanimous decision.

Before joining the UFC Taha amassed a 12-1 record with fights mostly contested in Germany; his home country. In 2017 he competed in the Rizin World Grand Prix, making it to the 2nd round before losing via submission to Takafumi Otsuka.