Cris 'Cyborg' Justino Cleared to Return to UFC by Doping Agency

UFC star Cris Cyborg will not face a suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency for a drug test failure.

USADA officially announced its decision regarding Cyborg on Friday on its official website. 

"USADA announced today that UFC athlete Cristiane Justino, of Curitiba, Brazil, has been granted a retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) and will therefore not face an anti-doping policy violation after testing positive for a prohibited substance in December of 2016," per the release.

Cyborg was flagged for a potential doping violating by USADA during an out-of-competition sample collected on December 5, per a release on UFC.com.

Per Friday's release, USADA revealed Cyborg was flagged for Spironolactone, which is listed as a "prohibited substance in the category of Diuretics and Masking Agents." 

"Upon notice of her positive test, Justino immediately identified a medication prescribed by her physician for the treatment of a common endocrine disorder as the source of the prohibited substance detected in her sample," per USADA's release. "She also participated in multiple interviews with USADA’s investigative team and consented to USADA interviewing her physician as well."

After learning Cyborg was flagged, UFC president Dana White told TMZ Sports in December she turned down three different fights he had recently offered to her. 

"First fight she had 8 weeks to get ready," White said. "Second fight she had 11 weeks to get ready and the third fight she just turned down. I thought it was just strange that she was turning down all these fights...not so strange now."

Cyborg has had issues with performance-enhancing drugs in the past. She was suspended for one year in 2012 after testing positive for stanozolol following her Strikeforce women's featherweight title defense against Hiroko Yamanaka. Her win was also overturned to a no-contest. 

Since signing with UFC in 2015, Cyborg owns a 2-0 record with both wins coming via TKO.