The Professional Fighters League has announced that former light heavyweight Rob Wilkinson tournament champion has tested positive for a banned substance and has been removed from the remainder of the 2023 season.
PFL Champion Rob Wilkinson is OUT of #PFL4 in Atlanta due to a failed drug test
per @AlexBehunin pic.twitter.com/Sx1FNsg4H2
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) May 31, 2023
Wilkinson, who was scheduled to fight Ty Flores at PFL 4 on June 8, tested positive for a banned substance that has not been identified. It is uncertain how long his ban will be but he is out this season of the PFL which could be extended even longer than that.
Rob Wilkinson’s Rise to PFL Stardom
Rob Wilkinson tried his luck in the biggest MMA organization the UFC but it was short-lived. In the UFC, he will always be remembered as the first man Israel Adesanya beaten inside the UFC octagon. He just had two fights in the UFC’s middleweight division, lost both, and then was subsequently let go.
He then fought for various promotions and even took some pro kickboxing fights before finding his home with the PFL for their 2022 season in their light heavyweight division. He looked like a brand new fighter in his new home finishing each of his four opponents en route to winning the coveted $1 Million prize and the championship belt.
He was poised to have yet another breakout season and to defend his title but it was cut short due to being popped for a banned substance. There will now be a gray cloud over his name during his PFL run because some may say that he was only that good because of the Performance Enhancing Drugs he was taking. Time will tell when he is allowed back inside the cage.
There are now 10 PFL Athletes Facing Suspension
Things just keep getting worse for the PFL, they finally get to host their fights in the fight capital Las Vegas, Nevada and then the Nevada State Athletic Commission has sanctioned 10 of their fighters with possible suspensions for taking banned substances.
The NAC is one of the commissions that do extensive testing for banned substances for all combat sports athletes. If the PFL just didn’t have their events this year in Nevada, there is a good chance these fighters would still be fighting this season and the PFL would have never known about these violations.
Let’s take a look at the list of fighters that have been sanctioned and that are off this PFL season:
- Alejandro Flores – Substance: Furosemide / 6-month suspension
- Krzysztof Jotko – Substance: Clomiphene / 6-month suspension
- Bruno Cappelloza (Former PFL Champion) – Substance: Drostanolone / 9-month suspension
- Rizvan Kuniev – Substances: Drostanolone, methenolone, boldenone, 19-norandrosterone
- Mohammad Fakreddine – Substances: Stanozolol, dronastalone, GW1516
- Cezar Ferreira – Substances: Clomiphene, androstanolone
- Will Fleury – Substance: Drostanolone
- Daniel Torres – Substances: Drostanolone, amphetamine
- Thiago Santos – Substance: Clomiphene
- Rob Wilkinson – Substance: TBD
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