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I guess they like to take their sweet time in "The Lone Star State."
More than three months after her controversial split decision win over Sarah Kaufman at UFC 166, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has reportedly suspended Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women's bantamweight contender Jessica Eye for one year and fined her $1,875 for failing a post-fight drug test for an unnamed substance.
MMA Weekly brought word of the new developments earlier today.
The suspension was initially thought to be problematic for the upcoming UFC 170 pay-per-view (PPV), where Eye is scheduled to face off against fellow bantamweight contender Alexis Davis, which is supposed to take place in less than two weeks (Feb. 22, 2014) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Eye insists she is not suspended and will be participating at the "Sin City" event as advertised:
I PROMISE YOU I AM NOT SUSPEND and WILL BE FIGHTING FEB 22 as scheduled !! @UFC don't believe everything you read online !
— Jessica Eye (@jessicaevileye) February 3, 2014
The athletic commission has since explained its surprise "probationary" ruling to MMA Junkie, which would allow Eye to compete on the UFC 170 "Prelims," so long as she's able to keep all her ducks in a row during her "one year, fully probated suspension."
A copy of the Eye exam is available on the commission's official website (click to enlarge):
The plot thickens.
Her win over Sara Kaufman, which garnered its fair share of controversy (see why here), has since been changed to a "no decision" (details) and there has been no official word (yet) from UFC about the ruling or its decision to keep her on the UFC 170 fight card.
Stay tuned for more details to this developing story as they become available.