Yoel Romero’s Suspension Reportedly Reduced By USADA

Yoel Romero (11-1) was informed on January 12th, 2016 that he potentially tested positive for a failed drug test taken out-of-competition. His team insisted that it was due to a tainted supplement that caused him to fail his USADA test, however, and the supplement was indeed found to have had the incriminating substance in it despite not listing it on the label.

“The substance has a label with a bunch of stuff on it,” his manager Malki Kawa said in an interview days after the news broke. “None of that is illegal to take. What he got popped for is not on the label. So it’s obviously not his fault that he popped for this.”

“I don’t expect it to be two years,” Kawa said. “I don’t think two years would be fair.”

Ariel Helwani reported in late March that USADA has given Romero a suspension, and he has decided to appeal the suspension.

Romero last fought at UFC 194 when he defeated Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza on the main card and is currently on a seven-fight winning streak.

Helwani is now reporting that the two sides have settled on a suspension that will be less than nine months long, and Romero could be free to fight again in late summer. USADA is expected to make an official announcement shortly.