Lara Suspended Nine Months After Cocaine Test

Former Bellator bantamweight Alejandra Lara will not be cleared to compete again until January 2027 after the Nevada Athletic Commission handed her a nine-month suspension for a failed drug test.

Deputy Attorney General Mike Detmer presented an adjudication agreement to the commission Wednesday stemming from Lara's positive test for benzoylecgonine — the primary metabolite of cocaine — following her April loss to Jaeleen Robledo at a Tuff-N-Uff event, MMA Fighting reports. The substance is classified as a prohibited stimulant banned at all times for combat sports athletes.

Penalties and Future Testing Requirements

The suspension runs through Jan. 24, 2027, and includes a $412.50 fine plus $250.60 in prosecution fees. Lara must also submit to additional drug screening if she seeks licensure in Nevada after serving the ban.

Lara compiled an active record under the Bellator banner with bouts against former flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Juliana Velasquez, Kana Watanabe, and DeAnna Bennett before leaving the promotion to fight on the regional circuit. She addressed the suspension on social media after the commission's decision.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Ex-Bellator fighter Alejandra Lara suspended 9 months after testing positive for cocaine metabolites