The UFC’s next light-heavyweight title contender Khalil Rountree Jr has just been handed a suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission, but it won’t stop him from fighting Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on October 5th.
The 34-year-old Rountree tested positive for the anabolic steroid DHEA back in May, though it’s believed the amount was not enough to enhance his performance to any significant degree.
The fighter has been able to make a successful argument that this occurred due to having accidentally ingested a blended supplement that contained DHEA. The supplement company have since admitted it was an oversight on their part.
Rountree self-reported the issue and that seems to have worked in his favor with the commission, leading to him only being suspended for 4.5 months.
As such, the retroactive suspension will already have concluded before his fight against Pereira in October.
“I just want to say thank you guys for looking into the details of the matter,” Rountree said at the hearing. “It definitely has made a huge difference in everything that’s happening right now in my life. I’m just really appreciative of you guys for taking the extra time to look into the details.”
“I’m glad he showed up, and the self-reporting obviously had a great influence on the commission’s decision here,” NAC chairman Dallas Haun said. “I applaud him for self-reporting.”
