Light Heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. has pulled out of his scheduled fight against Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 on June 29 due to a doping violation. “The War House” announced this on Saturday, describing his unintentional use of a banned substance. He was set to compete in the highly anticipated Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler card, a fight that could have pushed him into title contention. Rountree is currently on a five-fight winning streak and has earned three Performance of the Night awards as well. His most recent fight was in December against Anthony Smith, where he earned a TKO victory.
He doped this banned substance
Khalil revealed that a personalized supplement service he used mistakenly provided him with a product containing dehydroepiandrosterone, a banned substance under the UFC’s anti-doping program.
He stated, “I am very gutted to break the news to you all, but I will not be fighting at UFC 303 due to consuming a banned substance. I didn’t do it intentionally and I’m doing everything I can to get this situation taken care of.”
DHEA is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland and is also available artificially. It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Rountree stated that he contacted Jeff Nowitzki, the UFC’s senior vice president of anti-doping compliance and Donna Marcolini, vice president of anti-doping compliance, immediately after learning of the problem.
Rountree apologized to his fans
“I have provided them with all the information I have to show that this was not a matter of cheating or performance-enhancing. Although DHEA is a non-performance enhancer, it is a banned substance, so I am under temporary suspension. My sincerest apologies to all of you and to Jamahal for this unfortunate series of events. This is a huge loss and an even bigger lesson,” said Rountree.
Also Read: 10 Youngest Fighters on the UFC Roster Currently
The UFC’s anti-doping program is managed by Combat Sports Anti-Doping and supervised by former FBI agent George Piro. He has not yet announced an official suspension or possible penalties for Rountree. In addition, there is no information on whether Hill will remain on the card against a new opponent. The incident underscores the strict rules for athletes and the serious consequences of unintentional violations.
