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Dillashaw suspended 1 year by NYSAC, relinquishes belt

Sarah Stier / Getty Images Sport / Getty

UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw has been suspended for one year by the New York State Athletic Commission and fined $10,000 for violations relating to the use of a prohibited substance, ESPN's Ariel Helwani reports.

The suspension is retroactive to his Jan. 19 bout with Henry Cejudo in Brooklyn, according to Helwani.

Dillashaw took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to announce he had been flagged by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the NYSAC for an "adverse finding" in a test taken after his fight with Cejudo. As a result, he's relinquishing his title.

The USADA released a statement on the matter Wednesday afternoon.

"In light of Mr. Dillashaw's social media post this morning, we can confirm that an in-competition test conducted by USADA on Jan. 18, 2019 resulted in an adverse analytical finding," the statement read. "In this instance, we are able to confirm the finding due to Mr. Dillashaw's public statement.

"The presumption of innocence under the rules is a vital part of an effective anti-doping program and it's only fair that Mr. Dillashaw be allowed due process before any conclusions are drawn."

Dillashaw, considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC, held the 135-pound belt since winning it in November 2017. He dropped 10 pounds to challenge Cejudo for his flyweight title at the Fight Night event in Brooklyn.

Cejudo stopped Dillashaw - who was aiming to become the latest two-division champion - just 32 seconds into the fight via TKO.

"While words can't even begin to express how disappointed I am at this time, please know that I'm working with my team to understand what has occurred and how to resolve this situation as quickly as possible," Dillashaw said in his post.

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