“I did not intentionally use Ostarine,” Fan-favorite Daniel Rodriguez comes out with statement following USADA ban for using illegal substances

Daniel Rodriguez vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio will not happen on the September 16th fight card as Rodriguez tested positive for Ostarine.

“I did not intentionally use Ostarine,” Fan-favorite Daniel Rodriguez comes out with statement following USADA ban for using illegal substances

Fan-favorite Daniel Rodriguez comes out with statement following USADA ban for using illegal substances, (Courtesy: MMA fighting)

Daniel “D-Rod” Rodriguez will be out of the fight with Santiago Ponzinibbio due to a failed drug test. Rodriguez was looking to bounce back after losing to Ian Garry. The fight was supposed to happen on September 16 in Las Vegas, coinciding with Mexican Independence Day.

Rodriguez took to Instagram to clarify his side of the story. “First and foremost, I want to clarify I did not intentionally use Ostarine,” Rodriguez wrote on Instagram. He further clarified that the substance is in minute amounts and provides no benefits. USADA educated Rodriguez about others who have unknowingly ingested the substance from tainted supplements. This is also the first time the welterweight fighter has tested positive for a banned substance.

In September, Rodriguez versus Ponzinibbio is the second high-profile fight to fall out of the Grasso vs. Shevchenko card. The first one was Shavkat Rakhmanov versus Kelvin Gastelum. The failed drug test would make others vigilant of the tainted supplement. A fighter like “D-Rod” getting caught up in this isn’t believable. Daniel Rodriguez has had many run-ins with the law due to his association with gangs during his teenage years. He focused his attention on MMA after his teenage years to stay away from the gang culture. Born and raised in Los Angeles, He was in and out of LA County jail roughly 20 times. A fighter like this has no business with drugs.

Rodriguez is currently on a two-fight losing streak, with both losses coming via finish. Before that, he was on a 4-fight winning streak. “D-Rod” plans to return to the fight game after consultation with UFC and USADA. With this being his first offense, Rodriguez can get away with a lenient sentence of 6 months.

Related: “I was taken care of” Daniel Rodriguez discusses Kevin Holland’s GOOD SIDE amid UFC 279 mayhem

Valentina Shevchenko versus Alexa Grasso, now the sole high-profile fight at Mexican Independence Day

Fan-favorite Daniel Rodriguez comes out with statement following USADA ban for using illegal substances
Valentina Shevchenko(L) and Alexa Grasso(R), (Image Via: Locker Room)

The Mexican Independence Day UFC event now has the women’s title fight as the only relevant fight. When the card was initially announced, it had blockbuster fights with Kelvin Gastelum and Shavkat Rakhmanov as co-headliner. Valentina Shevchenko looking to regain the title doesn’t seem to be a good enough reason to tune into the fight for some fans.

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Alexa Grasso will be burdened carrying the show forward as the Mexican fighter defending the title. Grasso is currently on a 5-fight win streak. If victorious against Shevchenko again, Grasso will remain the sole Mexican champion in the UFC, with Yair Rodriguez and Brandon Moreno losing their last title bouts.

Valentina Shevchenko is definitely in need of a victory to prove that the first fight was a fluke. With Amanda Nunes retired, Shevchenko is in pole position to rule the pound-for-pound rankings in the women’s divisions. Shevchenko will have a chip on her shoulder, and Grasso should be better than the last time to attain victory.

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