'Cyborg' Passes Random Drug Test

In an era of seemingly rampant PED use in MMA, it’s refreshing to know that the oft-accused Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino will be able to participate in her Invicta FC 11 featherweight title bout against Charmaine Tweet this Friday (February 27, 2015) from Los Angeles, California.

According to MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) director Andy Foster informed him that ‘Cyborg’ passed a random, out-of-competition (OOC) drug screen and has been cleared to fight Tweet.

Foster had previously said that Justino, who failed a previous test for anabolic steroid stanozolol after her vicious TKO win over Hiroko Yamanaka back at late 2011’s Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal, would be required to pass a random screen before getting the go-ahead to fight Tweet.

Her prior failure forced ‘Cyborg’s’ win to be changed to a no contest, and she was also fined and suspended.

But the damage to her reputation was probably what did the most damage, as Justino has carried around the heavy burden of a known PED cheat ever since then. She was reportedly administered two drug tests, passing the second and more inclusive one from UCLA’s renowned laboratory. Results of the first test are unknown right now.

‘Cyborg’s’ title bout against Tweet will be her first MMA fight since she won the Invicta FC featherweight championship in July 2013 with a TKO victory over Marloes Coenen.

If she can get past Tweet in impressive fashion as she’s heavily favored to do, then the rumor mill will open back up about a potential mega fight with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (that is, if ‘Rowdy’ beats Cat Zingano in the main event of UFC 184, also from Los Angeles this weekend).

The stage is set for the biggest women’s bout in history to finally happen. Will all the pieces fall into place?