Kevin Croom returns after UFC debut ends with positive drug test

Kevin Croom has the memories of his spectacular performance the first time he fought in a UFC cage in September.

More important, he cashed a bonus check. He just didn’t get to keep the win on his record.

The boisterous 33-year-old already had 33 pro fights when he finally got the call to fight Roosevelt Roberts on the UFC Fight Night 177 card on a few days’ notice. He quickly accepted, though he insists he told the organization he had been consuming marijuana regularly.

Croom burst onto the scene with a spectacular 31-second submission to earn a $50,000 performance of the night bonus and followed with a hilarious news conference on a night that made him feel well on his way to accomplishing his dream of UFC stardom.

But the Nevada Athletic Commission rained on his parade a few days later when it issued a fine and suspension for a positive marijuana test that also turned his win into a no-contest.

So Croom has a chance to do it all over again when he faces veteran featherweight Alex Caceres on the UFC Fight Night 186 card Saturday at the Apex.

Not that the sanction bothered the “Hard-hitting Hillbilly” much anyway.

“They didn’t take (anything) from me,” Croom said this week. “Here I am again. I got paid like I won. It’s all semantics. He knows I won. I know I won.

“I took the fight on 36 hours notice. I came here and I was like, ‘Hey, I’ve been smoking.’ The UFC was like, ‘Cool, man. No problem.’ ”

While the Missouri native is still frustrated by the ruling, he’s not about to let it happen again. He said he stopped using marijuana two months ago in preparation for the fight.

“I’m probably going to lay off awhile,” Croom said. “I’m trying to fight again next week or as soon as possible. We’ll see when they start relaxing the rules. I’m trying to fight as much as I can. It took me awhile to get here, and I’m trying to stack this bread.”

If he wins fights at the same rate he was drawing laughs in media appearances this week, he will be a superstar in no time.

Croom, a devoted fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, brought nunchucks to media day and affirmed his commitment to “stay strapped all day.”

He carries himself with the confidence of someone who already has been champion and believes he will reach that goal by the end of 2023.

“I’ve always believed in myself and believed I would be here,” Croom said. “The difference is now I know.”

His fight against Caceres kicks off the main card streaming live on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. Preliminary bouts start streaming at 3.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.