TLDR
- Justin Jaynes was suspended 18 months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after testing positive for cocaine metabolites
- This is Jaynes’ third drug testing violation during his fighting career
- Nevada officials warned that a fourth violation will result in a permanent lifetime ban from the state
- Jaynes won’t be eligible to compete again until April 24, 2027
- He was also fined $200 and $250.60 in prosecution fees following the positive test
Sources: Yardbarker | Essentially Sports | MMA Fighting
Former UFC fighter Justin Jaynes has been suspended for 18 months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after testing positive for cocaine metabolites. The suspension came after his most recent fight in October 2025 at a Tuff-N-Uff event.
The Nevada commission voted Wednesday to approve an adjudication agreement following Jaynes’ positive test for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite. He won’t be eligible to compete again until after April 24, 2027.
This marks Jaynes’ third anti-doping offense during his fighting career. The repeat violations prompted Nevada Athletic Commission chairman Dallas Haun to propose a severe consequence for any future infractions.
“I have a problem, the third drug offense,” Haun said during the meeting. “The proposed adjudication agreement I think is fine, but I think we need to add that if Mr. Jaynes comes back for any drug-related [offense] then he will be barred from the state of Nevada permanently.”
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) February 18, 2026
Financial Penalties and Fighting Record
In addition to the suspension, Jaynes was fined $200, which represented 40 percent of his fight purse from the October bout. He also must pay $250.60 in prosecution fees.
Despite the positive test, Jaynes’ victory over Marlon Gonzalez by unanimous decision still stands on his record. The 36-year-old fighter has gone 2-2 in MMA since leaving the UFC, with one additional loss in a bare-knuckle fight in 2025.
Jaynes joined the UFC in 2020 and made an impressive debut by knocking out Frank Camacho in just 41 seconds. That performance earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus.
However, that debut victory proved to be his only win inside the Octagon. Jaynes suffered four consecutive losses before being released from the promotion in the summer of 2021 following a split decision loss to Charles Rosa.
Career Background and Fighting Nickname
Known by the nickname “Guitar Hero,” Jaynes had already built extensive experience before joining the UFC. He compiled a record across 19 professional MMA bouts and 21 amateur contests.
After leaving the UFC, Jaynes’ struggles continued as his losing streak extended to six fights by 2023. He was stopped by Chris Padilla in what turned out to be Padilla’s final fight before joining the UFC in 2024.
Jaynes managed to return to the win column in early 2024 but then suffered back-to-back losses. He fought for Las Vegas-based promotion Tuff-N-Uff and also competed in bare-knuckle MMA with Fusion Fight League.
The October 2025 victory at Tuff-N-Uff that triggered the drug test had temporarily looked like a positive turn for the lightweight fighter. The win over Gonzalez marked a potential comeback before the positive test derailed his plans.
All commissioners attending the Wednesday meeting agreed with Haun’s proposal for a lifetime ban if Jaynes fails another drug test. Nevada Deputy Attorney General Matthew Feeley said he would communicate the terms of the suspension and the permanent ban warning to Jaynes.
Jaynes joins other fighters who have faced lengthy suspensions in recent months. UFC strawweight contender Iasmin Lucindo received a nine-month suspension in January, while former The Ultimate Fighter winner Mohammed Usman got a 30-month suspension before being released from the UFC.
