UFC star Yoel Romero denies consciously taking banned substance that caused drug test failure

Malki Kawa maintains it's not Romero's drug test failure is not the fighter's fault.

Both the UFC middleweight contender and his manager appeared on Monday's MMA Hour to discuss the Cuban fighter's recent USADA violation after his win over Jacare Souza at UFC 194. Kawa claimed Romero took a contaminated supplement and that the banned substance which he got popped for wasn't printed on the label.

"The substance has a label with a bunch of stuff on it. None of that is illegal to take. What he got popped for is not on the label. So it's obviously not his fault that he popped for this."

Kawa explained that his team and USADA both sent the supplement for testing and the results showed it contained a banned substance, which was not listed on the label. He was reluctant to reveal the name of the supplement or the substance he was flagged for because USADA is currently investigating the matter.

Under the new USADA programme, Romero is facing a penalty ranging from a public warning up to a two-year suspension, but Kawa remains hopeful that the Soldier of God will get the former.

"I don't expect it to be two years. I don't think two years would be fair."

Pic of the night #soldierofgod #yoelromero

A photo posted by Yoel Romero (@yoelromeromma) on Dec 8, 2015 at 11:43pm PST

Romero admitted that it was his responsibility for taking the supplement, but like his manager feels that a public warning rather than a suspension would be the punishment to fit the crime.

"I think it's my responsibility when I take something. But I think maybe a public warning [would be a fair punishment]. I don't know. ... Nobody knows. When you see the supplement, outside it says it's clean, you can take it."