Khalil Rountree slapped with two month suspension after testing positive for DHEA ahead of UFC 303 fight

UFC light-heavyweight Khalil Rountree has been handed down a ban following positive drug tests.

Rountree had been booked to fight former champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 303, a fight which if victories could have seen him build a serious case to fight for the 205lb title shot. However, Rountree would release a statement last week in which he detailed he had tested positive for a banned statement and would be forced to withdraw from the contest. 

Yesterday the UFC would issue a statement which revealed Khalil Rountree’s tests had tested positive for “the exogenous origin of 5a-androstanediol, 5b-androstanediol and androsterone, all metabolites of DHEA.”

The statement would also state that Rountree had accepted a two month suspension but CSAD, the UFC’s testing agency, would cite a ‘massive oversight’ from a supplement manufacturer as the reason for the positive test.

“Rountree provided CSAD with shipping records, detailing that he received the supplement containing DHEA on May 2, 2024, just two days before he provided the May 4th sample. “Rountree also provided documentation from the owner of the clinic that sent him the supplement, reflecting that the company’s Brand Marketing Director sent Rountree some of the company’s ‘therapeutic blends’ supplements ‘without prior approval.’

“The owner described the mistake as ‘a massive oversight on our part.’ The evidence reflects that as soon as Rountree realized the mistake, he immediately notified UFC personnel, who immediately passed the information along to CSAD.

“CSAD consulted with SMRTL (Sports Medicine Research Testing Laboratory), who informed that Rountree’s May 4th sample result was consistent with the above facts and that Rountree’s short-term use of DHEA in the doses present in the dietary supplement did not provide any significant performance benefits.”

What’s next for Khalil Rountree?

While the statement confirms that Rountree unknowingly ingested a banned substance, athletes are still responsible for what they consume. 

If a two-month ban is all he will receive, it should not impact his career too much. But it’s unclear if the UFC will look to rebook the fight against Hill, it would certainly be a big fight to miss out on for Rountree.

Will Khalil Rountree fight for a title?