Multiple fighters have been flagged for submitting samples positive for banned substances after the first half of this year’s Professional Fighters League (PFL) regular season.
The rising PFL promotion began its 2023 campaign early last month with three cards from The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Now, over a month on from PFL 3, a troubling revelation has emerged regarding a number of light heavyweights and heavyweights.
Per a report from MMA Fighting, four athletes on the roster have failed drug tests. The most notable name is former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Thiago Santos, who debuted under the new banner with a loss to 2022 champion Rob Wilkinson at PFL 1 on April 1.
He isn’t the only newcomer to fail a test, with former UFC middleweight Krzysztof Jotko also testing positive following his defeat to Will Fleury.
A pair of fighters from the second of three events in the first half of the 2023 PFL season also had indiscretions, with heavyweights Bruno Cappelozza, the 2021 champ, and Rizvan Kuniev also testing positive for banned substances.
While Santos and Jotko suffered decision defeats in their outings, both Cappelozza and Kuniev had their hands raised, with the Brazilian knocking out Matheus Scheffel and the Russian outpointing Renan Ferreira.
So far, no details surrounding the detected substances and any potential suspensions have been revealed.
Another Wave Of PFL Drug Failures Expected
Worryingly, it appears that the controversy may not end with the above four names.
Following the first reports emerging surrounding the failed tests, Fansided MMA’s Amy Kaplan claimed that further names are involved and will be made public shortly.
It’s unclear how many other failures are set to emerge, but Kaplan’s remarks would suggest that the total tally will reach at least six.
The MMA reporter also revealed an initial reaction from Wilkinson, who seemingly faced and defeated a Santos who, intentionally or otherwise, utilized a banned substance.
laughs in Jake Paul
lol how much shit were they on to get popped in PFL?
Those are some awful tats
I’ve always wondered that about early UFC guys that failed drug tests too. There must have been a rat cause nobody would think Tim Sylvia was on it. Sean Sherk I can understand.
If PEDS turn you into an upstoppable juggernaut the way people claim, then it’s safe to say that the people who beat them are on too eh?
This is for the naive fans that think “cheating” only applies to people who get caught, aka idiots.
Welcome friend…would you rather have the Marreta hammer or the Brock sword?
PFL is a shit show and this just made the shit deeper
Just… complete shock…
They don’t make you unbeatable by anybody not on them. They increase your capacity, relative to what your capacity was naturally.
you’d assume all this juicing would produce better fights…
No, I’ve heard they turn you into an unstoppable terminator, so how is it these guys are losing? Is it because the other guys beat the tests? The same tests these guys have beaten in their dozens of OTHER fights? Shocking.
The truth is the shittiest and best fights of all time have occurred while using test, anabolics, sarms, peptides, HGH, prohormones etc.
If Ur not juicing Ur not trying
PFL In Deep