We report on a Suzaku observation of the newly discovered X-ray binary MAXI J1836–194 .
The source is found to be in the hard/intermediate spectral state and displays a clear and strong relativistically broadened iron emission line .
We fit the spectra with a variety of phenomenological , as well as physically motivated disk reflection models , and find that the breadth and strength of the iron line is always characteristic of emission within a few gravitational radii around a black hole .
This result is independent of the continuum used and strongly points toward the central object in MAXI J1836–194 being a stellar mass black hole rotating with a spin of a = 0.88 \pm 0.03 ( 90 % confidence ) .
We discuss this result in the context of spectral state definitions , physical changes ( or lack thereof ) in the accretion disk and on the potential importance of the accretion disk corona in state transitions .