ACA President Magomed Bubulatov openly discussed doping control within the league in an interview. He revealed that more fighters use performance-enhancing drugs than compete clean, and that fighters accepting short-notice bouts are typically the cleanest because they "don't have time to apply anything." Bubulatov stated the organization has been testing fighters and has data on who uses prohibited substances, noting that those who took replacement fights were among the cleanest. He indicated that doping control is expensive and would be easier if all Russian promotions collaborated, though he considers this unlikely. Bubulatov is considering a one-year suspension for violators but has not finalized a policy.
ACA President Magomed Bubulatov has acknowledged that performance-enhancing drug use is rampant within his organization, making a candid admission that a majority of fighters on the roster use prohibited substances rather than competing clean.
In a recent interview, Bubulatov stated that the ACA has already been conducting testing and has accumulated data identifying which fighters have used banned substances. One of his more striking observations was that fighters who accept short-notice bouts tend to be among the cleanest competitors on the roster, simply because they do not have enough time to use anything before stepping in on short turnaround. He noted the same pattern held true for those who took replacement fights.
Why it matters
- The admission raises serious questions about the integrity of competition across one of Russia's largest MMA promotions.
- Bubulatov indicated doping control is costly and suggested a collaborative testing effort among Russian promotions could help, though he considers such cooperation unlikely.
- The organization has not yet finalized a formal anti-doping policy, though Bubulatov is weighing a one-year suspension for violators.
The president's remarks are notable for their frankness at a time when anti-doping enforcement in regional MMA remains inconsistent. With no finalized suspension policy in place and cross-promotional cooperation deemed a long shot, the ACA's path toward cleaner competition appears uncertain. The existence of internal testing data, however, suggests the organization at least has a foundation from which to build a more structured enforcement framework should leadership choose to act on it.
