A pair of Contender Series veterans have been suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission
A pair of Contender Series veterans have been suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission after submitted drug tests that came back positive for banned substances.
Darion Abbey was handed a nine-month suspension from the commission on Tuesday after he tested positive for clomiphene, a substance banned at all times for athletes. As a result, Abbey agreed to the suspension, which expires on May 25, 2026 and he was fined $750 along with prosecution fees totaling $157.04 along with standard drug testing protocols he must follow if competing in Nevada again.
In his appearance on the Contender Series, Abbey suffered a first-round knockout loss to Donte Johnson, who was then signed to the UFC.
Now Abbey has to wait until after May 25, 2026 to resume his career after the positive drug test.
Meanwhile, undefeated prospect Levi Rodrigues, who scored a first-round knockout on the Contender Series in October, was initially suspended on Nov. 26 after he tested positive for 19-Norandrosterone, which is a metabolite of the anabolic steroid nandrolone.
As a result, Rodrigues remains suspended pending a formal resolution or adjudication agreement in his case. Rodrigues’ team issued a statement to MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz addressing the allegations and the suspension.
“We are aware of the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s decision regarding Levi Rodrigues following his Dana White’s Contender Series bout on October 14, 2025.
Levi Rodrigues tested positive for Nandrolone, a substance used between May and July of 2024, approximately 15 months prior to the DWCS bout. This period occurred during a prolonged recovery process from multiple injuries, the most serious being a severe herniated disc that left him bedridden for six months and unable to perform even basic daily functions, including going to the bathroom unassisted.
As a result of these injuries, Levi remained out of competition for 23 months, from May 2023 to April 2025. The use of Nandrolone occurred in the middle of this period of inactivity, at a time when he was not under contract, had no fights scheduled, and did not know if he would be able to return to professional MMA.
At that time, Levi was only 3–0 as a professional fighter and was working as a manual construction laborer. The substance was used strictly for physical recovery, so that he could return to work and provide for his wife and children. There was no intent to gain any competitive advantage in sport.
After fully recovering, Levi returned to competition in 2025, earning wins in April and September. In mid-September 2025, he received a short-notice opportunity to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2025. Because more than 12 months had passed since the use of Nandrolone, Levi did not believe disclosure was required and was unaware that, in some cases, Nandrolone metabolites can remain detectable for up to 18 months.
Unfortunately, this appears to be one of those cases.
Levi has no prior history of anti-doping violations and has never failed a drug test. He respects the NSAC process, accepts the commission’s ruling, and will fully comply with all requirements moving forward.”
Rodrigues’ fate as far as a potential suspension and fines is still to be determined at a future hearing with the commission. He was signed to the UFC after his win but for now remains suspended until a resolution in his case is reached.
Category: General Sports
