Heavyweight removed from UFC 217 for potential anti-doping violation

UFC Heavyweight Ion Cutelaba has been taken off of tomorrow’s UFC 217 event due to a potential anti-doping policy violation per the company.

USADA launched an investigation into Cutelaba because of a voluntary disclosure made during out-of-competition sample collections on October 18^th and 19^th.  He has been put on provisional suspension and his bout with Gadzhimurad Antigulov is off.

The UFC released its standard statement which reads:

The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Ion Cutelaba of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from its investigation into voluntary disclosures by Cutelaba during an out-of-competition sample collections on October 18 and October 19, 2017. USADA has provisionally suspended Cutelaba and his fight against Michal Oleksiejczuk has been cancelled from the November 4, 2017, UFC 217 fight card.

Payout Perspective:

With every fighter making weight on Friday, everyone had thought that all fights would go on without a problem.  But, Cutelaba’s removal takes away one fight from UFC 217.  It also means that we will not see the Hulk at the ceremonial weigh-ins.  For the 23 year old, the issue appears to be something that was disclosed on his form and one would hope that it might be clarified and/or mitigated.