Marquardt's Suspension Lifted by NSAC

Nathan Marquardt (Pictures)'s suspension after testing positive for nandrolone following an Aug. 6 UFC fight was lifted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Thursday, reports Las Vegas Review-Journal's Kevin Iole.

Initial NSAC urinalysis results revealed traces of the steroid metabolite nandrolone. Marquardt immediately denied taking steroids, stating, rather, he ingested three over-the-counter supplements — Max Stack Plus, by MM Sports Nutrition; P6 Extreme, by Cellucor: Pro-hormone technology; and Andro 250, (Androstenedione) by AST Sports Science — while preparing for the middleweight bout that aired live on Spike TV.

Follow-up tests, one in Las Vegas and one in Denver, seemed to bolster Marquardt's claims, when neither confirmed the presence of the steroid.

Marquardt, a former King of Pancrase, made his UFC debut in that August bout, which he won by decision over Ivan Salaverry (Pictures).

The NSAC on Thursday also pulled the license of kickboxer Sean McCully, Iole reported.

McCully tested positive for nandrolone and the active agent in marijuana, Delta-9-THC, following a Sept. 11, 2004 fight.

At a NSAC hearing on Sept. 21, 2005, McCully apologized and said he was clean. Yet he failed to take an agreed upon test.

Later, McCully, whose brother Justin is a veteran mixed martial artist and pro wrester in Japan, submitted a urine sample to Quest Diagnostics, the lab used by the NSAC to test for banned substances.

Testifying before the commission, Dr. John Hiatt of Quest Diagnostics said the urine sample was fake: "I concluded this is a false sample prepared and sold for the purpose of avoiding a legitimate drug test result."

McCully indicated he would retire.