UFC rankings: Fighters facing extended disciplinary suspensions no longer eligible for Top 15

Not only will disciplinary suspensions keep penalized fighters out of action for an extended period of time, but soon it will also keep them from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rankings, too.

Take note, Mr. Silva.

That's according to the Fight Metric team, who informed all members of the voting panel that moving forward, fighters who have been handed down suspensions of nine months or longer for their transgressions -- like Hector Lombard -- will no longer be allowed to be part in the official rankings.

Not exactly the overhaul Dana White promised, but it's a start.

Normally, this wouldn't seem like such a big deal, as rankings don't seem to really matter all that much in the eyes of some fighters, like Jose Aldo. However, with the new Reebok deal that is set to take into effect in a few months, not being ranked will take on a whole new meaning.

That's because the higher a fighter's ranking, the bigger piece of the Reebok cash pie he or she will receive. So, if you get banned for dabbling with prohibited substances, not only will you potentially get fined and lose out on getting paid for up to a year, but also miss out on getting fat checks from one of the biggest sports apparel companys in the world.

In short, you mess with performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), you lose out on a lot of coin.

And whether or not UFC admits it, this is yet another way the promotion is tackling the current drug problem in MMA.