Tavares was handed a 9 month suspension by the company retroactive to the date of the event, January 19. He must pass a drug test upon completion of the suspension before receiving clearance to compete again.

Tavares lost his fight on the card against Khabib Nurmagomedov via a KO.

The statement from UFC also cleared Vitor Belfort who was on  a medically approved testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) regimen under the supervision of a medical doctor from the State of Nevada.

The UFC said that the levels tested for Belfort were normal and the test did not reveal the presence of any performance enhancing drugs.