UFC contender Yoel Romero notified of potential USADA violation

UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero is the latest fighter who’s possibly run afoul of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

UFC officials today announced Romero, 38, has been notified of the potential anti-doping policy violation.

According to the announcement, it stems “from an out-of-competition sample collection” that the UFC’s drug-testing partner received.

“USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case involving Romero,” the statement read. “Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”

Romero (11-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who’s ranked No. 3 in the MMAjunkie/USA TODAY Sports MMA middleweight rankings, recently earned a narrow split-decision win over fellow contender Ronaldo Souza (22-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at this past month’s UFC 194 event in Las Vegas.

Romero, a 2000 Olympic silver-medal wrestler for Cuba, has won seven straight fights – all in the UFC – and was knocking on the door of a potential title fight. But today’s announcement could result in his stock taking a tumble.

For complete coverage of UFC 194, check out the UFC Events section of the site.