Last month, (Aug. 23, 2014) Cung Le got his face rearranged at UFC Fight Night 48 (see the damage here) when he was locked inside a cage with Michael Bisping for four brutal rounds inside Venetian CotaiArena in Macau, China.
Today, Le got hit with another gut shot courtesy of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which revealed that the Hollywood action star tested positive for an excess level of Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
As a result, Le, 42, has been suspended from mixed martial arts (MMA) competition for nine months.
Check out the official statement:
UFC middleweight Cung Le tested positive for an excess level of Human Growth Hormone in his system following his fight at UFC Fight Night in Macao, China on August 23. Due to his positive test result, Le was suspended by the UFC and notified that he violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes. Le will serve a nine-month suspension and, at its conclusion, will need to pass a drug test before competing in the UFC again.
The nine-month layoff more than likely won't impact Le like it would most less-established fighters. He has competed just four times inside the Octagon since mid-2010, splitting that win-loss total down the center (2-2).
Nonetheless, it is quite a brazen decision from Le, who knew several weeks ahead of his clash with "The Count" that his urine and blood would be tested for performance-enhancing, as well as illegal, substances.
Neither Le, nor Bisping -- who scored a technical knockout victory in the UFC Fight Night 48 main event -- have issued responses to the disappointing test result at this time.
For complete UFC Fight Night 48: "Bisping vs. Le" results, including all the news that was and (still) is fit to print, click here.