NSAC drops Sho-hammer on Hector Lombard, suspends UFC welterweight for one year

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight Hector Lombard was fined $53,000 -- plus 33 percent of his "show" purse (also $53,000) -- after failing his UFC 182 drug test, as part of his punishment handed down from Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) on Monday.

In addition, "Showeather" was suspended from active competition for one year and had his January 3 win over Josh Burkman overturned to a "no contest."

Losing a year from mixed martial arts (MMA) is a tough pill to swallow (no pun intended), but it's an even mightier blow to an athlete who is 37 years old and already competing in the twilight of his career.

"I let down the UFC, Dana White, Lorenzo (Fertitta), the fans, my sponsors and countless others," Lombard said at the NSAC disciplinary hearing (via Sherdog.com). "I also owe an apology to my opponent, Josh Burkman. I trust those around me and within my inner circle to provide me with the proper guidance and information to allow me to perform at my best. I know I'm ultimately responsible for what I put in my body."

Lombard -- who will need to pas a drug test before getting re-licensed -- blamed fellow Olympian Julie Northrup for giving him supplements that were supposedly made from plants, but which ultimately resulted in a positive test for the anabolic steroid desoxymethyltestosterone (more on that here).

The suspension torpedoed a planned bout against Rory MacDonald; however, "Red King" is probably not complaining about the change in opponents, since he now moves on to rematch Robbie Lawler for the welterweight title at UFC 189 in July.

One down, several more to go...