Skip to main content

Reports: Champ Rob Wilkinson 10th PFL fighter to test positive for banned substance, removed from 2023 season

Rob Wilkinson’s attempt to repeat as PFL light heavyweight champion has come to an end.

According to multiple reports, Wilkinson has tested positive for a banned substance following a drug test administered by the Nevada Athletic Commission, which oversaw his most recent fight in April at 2023 PFL 1. As a result, Wilkinson is out for the rest of the season. It’s unclear what substance was found in Wilkinson’s system.

MMA Mania first reported the news Wednesday.

Wilkinson (18-2) is now the 10th PFL fighter facing sanctions in Nevada for  a failed drug test following the promotion’s three-event stint in Las Vegas to open the regular season. The list of fighters who tested positive includes former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Thiago Santos, whom Wilkinson defeated by unanimous decision April 1 at PFL 1.

Wilkinson had been slated to fight Will Fleury in his second bout of the season.

Wilkinson, a two-fight UFC veteran who was TKO’d by Israel Adesanya, broke out in a big way in 2022, winning all four of his PFL fights by knockout, including a doctor stoppage TKO of Omari Akhmedov in the 205-pound final to win the championship and $1 million prize.



from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/bdT6kxO
via IFTTT
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

'Salsa Boy': The hilarious story behind UFC heavyweight Waldo Cortes-Acosta's nickname

Waldo Cortes-Acosta ’s “Salsa Boy” nickname was not self-appointed – like every proper nickname should be. His curious fight nickname was earned and given by his teammates after a spicy story behind his cooking, not his dancing. Cortes-Acosta (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who fights in the UFC’s heavyweight division, hosted a party years ago at which he invited his friends and teammates from Ultimate Kombat Training Center in Arizona. “I dance well, yeah – but the nickname actually came from salsa I made for a party,” Cortes-Acosta told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “There were guys from Nicaragua, Mexico, Brazil, Colombians – all over the place.” Training with many Hispanic people, especially those from Central America, Cortes-Acosta knew he had to show out with the salsa given the high standards and high tolerance for spicy food at the party – and he might’ve gotten a bit overboard. “A friend of mine, who we call ‘El Chimmy,’ and he already fought in the UFC, tried the sauce, and before he was ...
Read more

Max Holloway recalls near-nudity 'towelgate incident' with Justin Gaethje: 'I guess that's the whole beef'

One of the most exciting fights on the  UFC 300 lineup is the BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje, and it’s one that doesn’t have any bad blood boiling over. Or has Holloway been holding onto a grudge since 2017? At the UFC 218 official weigh-ins, Gaethje nearly exposed Holloway’s genitals to the world after volunteering to hold the towel for the former champion who needed to strip down to make championship weight for his fight against Jose Aldo. Gaethje raised the towel in front of the scale, making it impossible to see the weight. The commissioner told Gaethje the towel needed to be placed between the scale and Holloway. An executive decision was made by Gaethje to save time. Rather than have Holloway put his clothes back on, move the towel, and get undressed again, Gaethje saw a quicker solution – and one that likely played into his favor as he was weighing in right after Holloway. “He even told me, he was like, ‘Brother, it just looked like you want...
Read more

Deiveson Figueiredo would love to test his striking against Sean O'Malley and Dominick Cruz

AUSTIN, Texas – Deiveson Figueiredo has moved to a different weight class, and with that comes many things – including new matchups. Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 52 , Figueiredo (21-3-1 MMA, 10-6 UFC), a former UFC flyweight champion, debuts at 135 pounds when he takes on longtime UFC fighter Rob Font (20-7 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC). Figueiredo said he is happy with his decision to move up a division, and being a powerful and respected striker, the Brazilian is excited to test his skills against the top strikers of the division. “I came to this division to test myself and to test my striking, so that’s what I’m focused on right now,” Figueiredo told reporters at the UFC on ESPN 52 media day Wednesday in Austin, Texas. “I’m focused on the fight on Saturday, and that’s what I’m here for. Let’s see how this one goes. I’m not looking at a title shot right now, I’m looking to win against Rob Font to place myself in the rankings and see where it goes from there. “I would love to h...
Read more