Oh boy, Khalil Rountree’s in a bit of a pickle, huh? The Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) folks have benched him for two months. Why? Well, he got caught with DHEA, an anabolic steroid, in his system. That’s a no-go in the UFC light heavyweight world.
But here’s where it gets a tad interesting. Rountree had a hunch he might’ve accidentally ingested something fishy. So, he was like, “Hey, UFC peeps, I might’ve goofed with a supplement.” They shipped off a sample to the Sports Medicine Research Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) in, of all places, Salt Lake City, Utah. And bam, DHEA metabolites were chilling in his system.
“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,” CSAD spilled the beans in a statement.
And get this, the clinic that sent him the dodgy supplement? They owned up big time. Their Brand Marketing Director had sent Rountree some “therapeutic blends” supplements “without prior approval.” Talk about a “whoops” moment. They called it “a massive oversight on our part.” Rountree didn’t waste any time. He realized the mistake and immediately rang up the UFC, who then hollered at CSAD.
Now, according to the brainiacs at CSAD and SMRTL, the amount of DHEA Rountree ingested was kinda meh – not enough to give him any Hulk-like powers. Rountree had already let the cat out of the bag about the failed drug test, which yanked him out of a co-main event scrap against Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 on June 29. Though he’s sitting out for now, his timeout started on May 4, setting him free on July 4. Fireworks, anyone?
But wait, there’s more. Rountree might still get a talking-to from the Nevada State Athletic Commission since they were supposed to oversee his bout at UFC 303. They’re the ones to watch for any extra wrist-slapping.
On a brighter note, Rountree’s been on a roll in the Octagon, bagging wins in his last five fights. The 34-year-old, dubbed “The War Horse,” recently KO’d Anthony Smith in the third round at UFC Fight Night 223 on Dec. 9. So, yeah, quite the rollercoaster for Rountree. Let’s see how this all pans out, shall we?