Anderson Silva Suspension Update, UFC Title Fight Set, Fighters Earn Contracts On Dana White's Show

By Dana Becker

- Maycee Barber, a 20-year-old female fighter, was one of three to earn a future UFC contract on Dana White's "Contender Series" Tuesday night. Barber scored a main event victory over Jamie Colleen, claiming the stoppage in the third round. The series airs live on UFC Fight Pass from Las Vegas.

Edmen Shahbazyan topped Antonio Jones and Domingo Pilarte bested Vincent Morales to also earn future contracts. Next week, amputee Nick Newell headlines the card in his debut with the promotion. Austin Vanderford, the fiance of UFC fighter Paige VanZant, earned a win but was not signed at this time.

- If former UFC champion Anderson Silva wants to fight again, he'll be able to do so in November. USADA announced that Silva has been suspended for one year retroactive to November 2017 after testing positive for methyltestosterone metabolites and hydrochlorothiazide.

The positive test result knocked Silva out of a planned fight with Kelvin Gastelum last year. USADA conducted independent testing through a WADA-accredited lab to come to find that the supplements taken by "The Spider" were contaminated.

"I am vindicated," Silva said in a statement given to ESPN by Silva's team. "The past nine months have been extremely difficult. I felt like my career and everything I had worked so hard for was dying and my future was hanging in the balance. I knew in my heart that I had done nothing wrong and fully cooperated with USADA during their inquiry to prove it. Today I have a renewed energy. My legacy is restored. I can focus on getting back into the ring and the next chapter of my life after fighting."

- Nicco Montano will make her first title defense at UFC 228 in September against Valentina Shevchenko, officials announced. The bout takes place from the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Montano won the title with a victory over Roxanne Modafferi this past December. Shevchenko, a former bantamweight title challenger, has lost just twice in her last eight fights – both of which coming at the hands of Amanda Nunes, the reigning bantamweight champion.

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