UFC's Michel Prazeres Suspended 4 Years for 2nd Violation of Anti-Doping Policy

UFC welterweight Michel Prazeres has been suspended for four years after a second violation of anti-doping rules. 

Per an official statement from the United States Anti-Doping Agency, Prazeres accepted his discipline after four different urine samples collected between Aug. 27-Nov. 2 came back positive for multiple banned substances:

This marks the second time in two years that Prazeres has failed an out-of-competition drug test. He accepted a two-year ban from USADA in February 2020 stemming from samples collected in March of 2019. 

Since that original suspension was backdated to when the sample was originally taken, Prazeres was able to return to competition in March this year.

The Brazilian mixed martial artist fought Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC Fight Night on June 26. He lost in the second round via submission from a rear-naked choke. 

Prazeres's four-year suspension began on Aug. 27. He will be eligible to return to competition on that date in 2025. 

The 40-year-old has been a professional mixed martial artist since 2000. He began his career with 16 consecutive victories to earn a contract with UFC in 2013. 

Prazeres is 10-4 in 14 UFC bouts over the past eight years. Trator primarily competed in the lightweight division during his UFC tenure, but he missed weight three times in a four-fight span from 2016-18 that led to him being forced to move up and compete in the welterweight division. 

In four fights at welterweight since the move, Prazeres has a 2-2 record, with back-to-back losses to Ismail Naurdiev and Rakhmonov.