NAC punishes two Dana White Contender Series winners from Season 3
Antonio Trocoli and Philip Rowe were riding high after winning contracts on Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series. But both ran afoul of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
A fight-night drug test caught Trocoli with nandrolone metabolites, leading to a suspension and his release from the UFC. Rowe, meanwhile, was punished for jumping the octagon fence post-win.
In unanimous votes, the NAC on Wednesday sanctioned the fighters in separate complaints; Trocoli appeared on Week 3 of the Contender Series, while Rowe appeared on Week 9.
According to the NAC’s attorney, a Trocoli rep on Tuesday agreed to a settlement that includes a nine-month suspension and fines of $750 and $399 for court fees. The Brazilian’s first-round submission over Kenneth Bergh is overturned to a no-contest, and he must provide clean drug tests at 30, 15 and 3 days if he fights again in Nevada. He’s also required to pay all fines before getting his license.
At the time of his release, Trocoli’s team vowed to test his supplements for contamination. Nandrolone is a commonly known anabolic steroid and is banned year-round by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Rowe was fined $250 and court fees of $218.04 for his post-fight celebration following a second-round TKO of Leon Shahbazyan. The NAC had withheld his $5,000 win bonus for the infraction and will refund him the difference. After that, he’ll be free to fight.
The Nevada commission has cracked down on cage celebrations after an infamous brawl at UFC 229 involving lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. Bantamweight Pedro Munhoz was fined $2,500 for hopping the fence after a knockout of ex-champ Cody Garbrandt at UFC 235.