Chad MendesGHRP-6 falls under the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics in the UFC's anti-doping program, which has been adopted from the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Wednesday.
"Something to note is that while it has growth hormone in the name, GHRP-6 is not the same as human growth hormone (hGH)," wrote Iain Kidd for mixed martial arts website BloodyElbow.com.
"GHRP-6 is a substance which is designed to increase your body's natural production of growth hormone," Kidd continued. "Much like clomiphene is useful for increasing the body's production of testosterone, GHRP-6 does the same thing for growth hormone, though in a different way. GHRP-6 can be used as needed without requiring any 'cycling' or post-cycle therapy."
BloodyElbow.com went on to say that GHRP-6 and other drugs intended to increase hGH fall into the middle of the scale in terms of outlawed supplements. While the competitive advantage is nowhere near that of an anabolic steroid at the top of the scale, it's also a definitive physiological advantage above and beyond what is offered from legal supplements.
Mendes' suspension will be retroactive to June 10, 2016, the day his sample was returned and he received a provisional suspension while the matter was adjudicated.
The 31-year-old Mendes has compiled a 17-4 overall record as a featherweight (145 pound) fighter. He has lost three of his last four fights, suffering a first-round KO at the hands of Frankie Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter 22 event in Dec. 2015.
Prior to launching his professional MMA career in Sept. 2008, Mendes crafted a successful amateur wrestling career, first as a three-time California state placer in high school, then at Cal Poly, where he was a two-time NCAA Division I finalist, making it to the 141-pound finals at the 2008 NCAA championships.
News of Mendes' two-year suspension comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this week that Brock Lesnar, former collegiate wrestling champ, UFC heavyweight champ and WWE titleholder, may face a suspension after reportedly failing a drug test.
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