Yoel Romero ended 2015 with a split decision win over Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza to set himself up for a possible middleweight title shot in 2016, but that may have just come to a screeching halt.
On Tuesday evening, the UFC issued a release stating the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) notified Romero of a possible "Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection."
MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani reported USADA officials randomly tested Romero just days after UFC 194. He reportedly has two weeks to appeal the potential violation:
Romero's potential violation came from an out-of-competition test. If you recall, I reported he was surprise tested just days after UFC 194.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 12, 2016
Romero has two weeks to decide whether he will appeal the potential violation.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 12, 2016
Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie reports Romero was busted for a designer steroid:
Hearing that Romero popped for a designer steroid - a peptide that increases testosterone production.
— Steven Marrocco (@MMAjunkieSteven) January 13, 2016
Tim Kennedy, the No. 6-ranked middleweight contender and an extremely vocal anti-doping advocate, was not in the least bit surprised:
@arielhelwani Ahhh ha ha ha ha.
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) January 12, 2016
Romero is potentially the second member of American Top Team to be popped by USADA since the implementation of the program. Romero's teammate, Gleison Tibau, also came up a with violation in December. Hector Lombard, another member of ATT, was already suspended for testing positive in early 2015 after UFC 182.
The potential infraction may make the UFC's decision about an immediate rematch between middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and No. 1 challenger Chris Weidman much easier. Rockhold's long-standing feud with Vitor Belfort also puts the Brazilian in play. In the wake of Romero's controversial decision over Jacare and now a possible Anti-Doping Policy violation, it would be difficult for the UFC to move him into the title shot over either Weidman or Belfort.
If USADA confirms the violation, Romero may have just cost himself the only shot at UFC gold he will ever have.
Full details regarding the potential violation and its penalties have not yet been released. USADA handles the entire process, and the UFC will abide by its decision. Bleacher Report will keep you up-to-date with information as it becomes available.
