The Rhode Island Licensing and Regulation has overturned the win by Pedro Gonzalez over Saul Almeida to claim the interim featherweight title at CES MMA 45 to a no-contest due to a violation of the commission’s drug policy.
Peter Timothy of the Rhode Island Licensing and Regulation confirmed the news to The MMA Report on Friday and stated that Gonzalez was in “violation of our drug policy, in cases like this, any win is turned into a no-contest.”
On Thursday, CES MMA announced on social media that Matt Bessette will be defending the CES MMA featherweight title on February 2 at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island and at this time, the promotion has not announced who Bessette will be defending the title against.
At the time of publishing this story, The MMA Report has not received a statement from CES MMA about the status of Gonzalez and the interim featherweight title.