'Cyborg' tests positive, may lose title

Strikeforce star Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos will be stripped of her 145-pound women's championship after testing positive for a steroid, according to multiple reports.

Tests related to a Dec. 17 championship bout against Hiroko Yamanaka detected stanozolol metabolites in a urine sample provided by Santos, the California State Athletic Commission announced, according to USA Today.

The test result means a $2,500 fine from her $66,000 purse and a suspension of Santos' license to fight in California, the newspaper reported. Her first-round technical knockout of Yamanaka — which marked Santos' return to competition after an 18-month layoff — has been changed to a no-contest.

Fighters who test positive for banned substances normally can reapply for a California license after a year.

Santos, who won the 145-pound title in August 2009, is one of the few marketable fighters in her weight class. Without her, the featherweight division may go dormant for a period of time according to Dana White, president of Strikeforce parent company Zuffa.

"We were going to hold that division and just do fights with 'Cyborg' whenever there was a new contender," White said in an interview with a Las Vegas radio station. "She's getting stripped of the title. I don't know. We'll see what happens."

Ronda Rousey, arguably the most noteworthy contender at 145, previously said she wants to move down to challenge 135-pound champion Miesha Tate. Santos was also contemplating cutting weight for the opportunity to fight more frequently.

Santos isn't the first female fighter to test positive in California. Carina Damm was suspended in May 2008 after Nandrolone was detected in her urine sample.

"Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well," CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd said in a statement. "The commission simply will not tolerate their use."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker held out hope that the decision might be overturned.

"We also have a long history of supporting effective drug testing of athletes by authorized regulatory bodies," he said in a statement. "Therefore, we will closely monitor the matter and will work with the California State Athletic Commission regarding any information we may be asked to provide. We also recognize that Ms. Santos has administrative process rights under California law, and we hope that she is not prejudged before she has the opportunity to exercise such rights."