USADA (the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) may be gone from the UFC, but it still oversees the PFL’s anti-doping policy, which has ensnared former UFC star Don Madge.
Madge, 34, has been hit with a two year ban from fighting, USADA officials announced in a press release issued on Monday.
The suspension stems from a positive drug test collected on June 28, 2024, which detected evidence of anabolic steroid use. Upon further testing (utilizing IRMS, or Isotope ratio mass spectrometry), evidence consistent with the exogenous origin of testosterone and its metabolites was uncovered.
Though initially listed as an injury, the test may explain why Madge withdrew from his August fight with Magomed Umalatov. The South African known as the “Magic Man” had missed all of 2023 before getting a late start in the PFL season this year. He submitted Brennan Ward inside of a round to land in the post-season.
While the suspension has been backdated to June 28, the date of Madge’s positive test, it doesn’t seem it will matter much in this case: Don Madge retired in September. However, as noted by USADA, the ban has been “tolled” as of September 20, his retirement date. That means, should Madge wish to return to action, he will have to serve out the remainder of the ban prior to competing.
In the UFC, Madge posted a 2-0 record, but after years of inactivity and injury, jumped to the PFL in 2021. He posted a 2-2 record for that promotion.
