Marcos Rogerio de Lima doesn’t rule out suing supplement company that sold contaminated product

Marcos Rogerio de Lima is one of four Brazilian UFC fighters that were able to prove to be victims of contaminated supplements after failing out-of-competition USADA drug tests, and he doesn’t rule out suing the company that sold him the products.

“Pezao” stayed under suspension for nine months until USADA cleared him, Junior dos Santos andAntonio Rogerio Nogueira in April. Still waiting for the UFC to set his next fight, de Lima told MMA Fighting he was confident throughout the whole process “because I don’t use any type of illegal substance,” but still suffered with the impacts of being suspended.

”The biggest problem is that I wasn’t fighting and making money. It was insane, man,” said de Lima, who paid $2,500 to get five supplements tested, and received $1,000 back after two came back positive. “I was in Florida and had to postpone my return to Brazil because of Hurricane Irma, and then my life was literally hit by a hurricane with that news. It was a difficult time.”

De Lima tried to stay as active as he could during the suspension, entering five jiu-jitsu tournaments in Brazil — “I won all five, weight and absolute, and finally received my black belt,” he said — and also competing in wrestling. In the meantime, his manager and lawyers were in talks with the supplement company to get a deal done.

”We’ll try a deal first, and if that doesn’t work… I think they will agree to a deal because we have too much evidence,” said de Lima, declining to reveal the name of the company. “We don’t want to sue them, but if they don’t want a deal we will have to go to court. We lost a lot, and also the damage it caused me emotionally and to my career.”

Bouncing between wins and losses since cutting down to light heavyweight after being part of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 as a heavyweight, “Pezao” will move back up after missing weight for his last couple of bouts.

”When I’m off training I weigh 257 pounds and always made weight well, but couldn’t do it for a couple of times,” de Lima said. “Most of my training partners at ATT are heavyweight, so there’s no reason why I won’t fight in this division. I feel better at heavyweight. I’m fast and explosive, and I think I’ll do well.”