Brandon Thatch vs. Siyar Bahadurzada shifted to UFC 196 as Thatch unable to obtain clearance for medication

A welterweight bout between Siyar Bahadurzada and Brandon Thatch has been moved from next week’s UFC Fight Night 83 event to next month’s UFC 196 card after Thatch was unable to gain clearance from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission for one of his medications.

According to a statement from the UFC, the medication in question is allowed under the USADA guidelines, along with other jurisdictions, but with Pennsylvania not going along, they needed to pull that fight from the card in Pittsburgh.

“Thatch, who is using a medication permitted under the UFC/USADA, WADA and Nevada State Athletic Commission anti-doping rules, was unable to obtain the necessary clearance from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission,” the UFC’s statement read. “The Colorado fighter and his team have been in communication with the UFC and USADA throughout this process, and the required paperwork for licensing in Nevada has been filed.”

UFC 196 hits Las Vegas on March 5, headlined by the Lightweight Title bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor. The Feb. 21 UFC Fight Night 83 event will still feature 13 fights in Pittsburgh, headlined by Donald Cerrone’s bout against Alex Oliveira.

Penick’s Analysis: The actual medication hasn’t been named, so it could be one of any number of substances for which a therapeutic use exemption could be granted. Without speculating further, so long as he’s cooperating and providing all necessary information, and it’s not a drug in the performance enhancing realm the likes of the TRT fiasco the UFC went through, then it’s not that big an issue.

[Photo (c) Joe Camporeale via USA Today Sports]

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