Daniel Pineda doesn’t understand why he was suspended for taking Adderall which was prescribed by his doctor.
After Pineda fought Andre Fili at UFC Vegas 30 in June of 2021, he was notified he was flagged for a positive drug test and would be suspended. Yet, Pineda wasn’t sure why he was getting suspended as he told the commission that he took Adderall which is prescribed to him, and the commission didn’t say anything about it.
“Just being hurt here and there, can’t really say from where,” Pineda said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com about his layoff. “But, I had a little injury going on, but the PI took care of me… We were supposed to run it right back but they ended up saying that because I am prescribed Adderall, I think five days before the fight, that is why I got suspended, whatever.
“The crazy thing about it is we told the commission about it before I even weighed in,” Pineda added. “So, before we even weighed in, they asked if I have taken anything and I told them I took Adderall on Monday, even my manager asked if it was okay if I still fought. Five days it’s not in your system anymore, but probably because I told them I got f****d.”
Once his suspension was over and he was healed, Pineda wasn’t sure what was going to be next for him. The hope for Daniel was to fight in front of fans and when he was offered to fight Tucker Lutz at UFC San Antonio – which is close to his hometown of Houston, he jumped at it.
“I haven’t fought close to my hometown in the UFC, this will be my first one,” Pineda said. “Not at home, but we are close enough. It’s two-and-a-half hours from here so all my people from Houston are going to come through.”
When Daniel Pineda makes the walk to the Octagon at UFC San Antonio, he will be facing Tucker Lutz. Although the moment for Pineda is more about his return and fighting in Texas, there is more motivation for him due to the fact he is fighting out his UFC deal.
“It’s a big motivation because it’s the last fight on my contract,” Pineda revealed. “I’m taking a gamble, I win we want more money… I’m a gambler, man, I’m a gambling man.”
With Pineda fighting out his contract against Lutz at UFC San Antonio, he knows a win is a must if he is going to remain a UFC fighter.
Yet, Pineda isn’t too focused on that, as he believes if he fights the way he always does, he will be able to break Lutz and finish him to return with a bang.
“Come the 25 of March everyone will remember who I am. When I fight I go there to finish, I don’t go in there to hug somebody and wrestle,” Pineda said. “‘m not there to wrestlef**k nobody, I’m going in there to fight. There ain’t going to be any humping. It’s not going to go a decision, one of us is going to finished in the first or second round.”
If Pineda does get a stoppage win against Lutz that he is after, the hope is to get someone right near the rankings and work himself into the top-15 by the end of the year.
“Hopefully if everything goes right, keep aiming for the top. I don’t say no to anybody, anybody they offer me I am going to fight,” Pineda concluded.
Do you think Daniel Pineda will beat Tucker Lutz at UFC San Antonio?
