ACA president Magomed Bibulatov revealed candid details about drug testing in the Russian promotion during an interview. Bibulatov stated that more fighters test positive for banned substances than test clean. He noted that fighters accepting bouts on short notice are typically clean, suggesting they haven't had time to use performance-enhancing drugs. The promotion gave fighters six months to clear banned substances from their systems when implementing testing. Bibulatov acknowledged that comprehensive drug testing is expensive and suggested Russian promotions should collaborate on anti-doping efforts, though he considers this unlikely. The league is still deliberating how to handle fighters who test positive, with one-year suspensions being considered.
The president of Russian MMA promotion ACA has made a striking admission about the state of drug testing inside the organization, revealing that the majority of fighters tested are returning positive results for banned substances.
In a candid interview, ACA president Magomed Bibulatov disclosed that more fighters in the promotion's testing program are failing than passing, painting a stark picture of performance-enhancing drug use at one of Russia's leading MMA organizations. Bibulatov offered an unusual observation alongside the admission: fighters who accept bouts on short notice tend to come back clean, which he attributed to the simple reality that they have not had sufficient time to use banned substances before competing.
When the promotion first introduced its testing program, it gave fighters a six-month window to clear prohibited substances from their systems before enforcement began — a grace period that itself speaks to the scale of the problem Bibulatov is now describing openly.
Why it matters
- ACA's admission raises serious questions about the integrity of competition inside one of Europe's most prominent MMA promotions
- The promotion has yet to finalize how it will discipline fighters who test positive, though one-year suspensions are under active consideration
- Bibulatov acknowledged that thorough anti-doping work carries significant financial costs and suggested Russian promotions would benefit from pooling resources on testing, though he expressed doubt that such cooperation would materialize
The comments highlight a broader challenge facing regional MMA organizations that lack the infrastructure and funding of larger global promotions. Without a unified anti-doping framework, enforcement is inconsistent and the burden falls on individual promotions to self-regulate — a dynamic that Bibulatov himself appeared to recognize while stopping short of offering a clear path forward on how ACA intends to clean up its roster.
