David Branch Receives Two Year Suspension From USADA
We won’t be seeing David Branch compete inside the Octagon for a while. The UFC middleweight has received a two year suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), for testing positive on May 24th for ipamorelin, which is in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors.
The two-year suspension is dated retroactively to July 26th, the day his provisional suspension started. He will be eligible to fight again from July 26th, 2021. Two months short of his 40th birthday.
In a statement, USADA wrote:
“Branch, 37, tested positive for ipamorelin as the result of a urine sample he provided out-of-competition on May 24, 2019. Ipamorelin is in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Ipamorelin is a potent Growth Hormone Secretagogue that stimulates the brain to release human growth hormone and is used by athletes as a performance-enhancing drug. The use of prohibited peptides by athletes and consumers for performance or physique enhancement purposes (including recovery from injury) poses serious health risks, and these peptides are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human use or consumption.”
Branch made his UFC debut in 2010 but after going 2-2 in his first four fights, left the promotion. But after having success in the World Series Of Fighting (WSOF), winning both the middleweight and light heavyweight titles, the 37 year old re-signed with the UFC in 2017.
Since resigning with the UFC, Branch has gone 2-3. Most recently losing to Jack Hermansson via submission, after just 49 seconds of the first round at UFC Philadelphia in March. He was scheduled to face Andrew Sanchez last week at UFC Vancouver but was removed from the card.
UPDATE:
Since this story broke, Branch has been released by the UFC and has parted ways with Dominance MMA and Ali Abdelaziz.
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