Middleweight Adam Hunter has been pulled from tonight’s UFC on FOX 21 following USADA informing the fighter that he has been pulled from the event due to a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation.
The announcement of Hunter being pulled from the event was announced by the UFC in a statement on Friday evening.
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Adam Hunter of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection on August 11, 2016,” the UFC statement said. “USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed.
“However, because Hunter was scheduled to compete against Ryan Janes this coming Saturday, August 27 in Vancouver, British Columbia, there is insufficient time for a full review before the scheduled bout and therefore the fight has been removed from the fight card. Consistent with all previous potential anti-doping violations, additional information or UFC statements will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”
Following the news of his potential Anti-Doping Policy violation, Hunter released a statement on his Facebook page.
“I’m disappointed to announce that I wont be making my UFC debut tomorrow as I was informed that something was potentially flagged and with the fight being so close there isn’t the time to get the issue sorted,” Hunter wrote on Facebook. “I will be working hard to get everything figured out and hopefully be making my debut in the near future. I want to say thank you to all my fans, my teammates and the beautiful city of Vancouver. I would also very much like to thank the UFC for this opportunity and there second to none hospitality. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.”
With Hunter being pulled from the event on Friday, Ryan Janes will no longer be on the card. The UFC will compensate Janes with his show money for the cancelled bout, and will work to rebook Janes for a new bout in the near future.