PFL has a big problem on their hands and it involves PEDs. The promotion is supposed to be at an all time high right now. They recently signed Francis Ngannou who is the lineal heavyweight champion of the UFC since he never lost his belt inside the octagon.
They signed social media star Jake Paul to an MMA contract and they just have so much going for them. They are also getting close to getting a big investment that could take the promotion to the next level. However, they have a PED problem that is expanding and becoming a major problem.
Alex Behunin of MMA Mania broke the news in the early morning hours that PFL’s defending light heavyweight champion Rob Wilkinson (18-2) was pulled from their upcoming event due to a failed drug test on the heels of his fight against Thiago Santos earlier this year in which he won by decision.
PFL’s PED Problem
The promotion would love to claim that this is an isolated incident. However, this has been a major problem this season. In addition to Wilkinson, Thiago Santos, Krzysztof Jotko, Bruno Cappelozza, and Ruzvan Kuniev have all failed tests this season alone. Overall, Wilkinson is the tenth fighter to fail a test.
The top two divisions in terms of weight have taken a major hit due to these failed tests. Cappelozza was the 2021 PFL champion at heavyweight and as mentioned, Wilkinson was the defending light heavyweight champion and looked like the clear favorite to repeat as champion.
Wilkinson was set to take on Ty Flores in the co-main event of next week’s card. Dan Spohn is stepping in for Wilkinson to fight Flores. Expect more details to come out as this story develops, but one thing is clear, this is a big problem.