Magomed Bibulatov, president of ACA, provided candid statements about doping in the promotion. He stated that more fighters use banned substances than compete clean. Bibulatov noted that fighters taking bouts on short notice tend to be cleaner because they haven't had time to use anything. The league has been testing fighters and collecting data on who uses prohibited substances, giving athletes six months to clear their systems. He acknowledged that implementing comprehensive testing is expensive and suggested Russian promotions should collaborate on anti-doping efforts, though he doubts this will happen. Bibulatov is considering one-year suspensions for violators but has not finalized a policy.
Magomed Bibulatov, president of the Absolute Championship Akhmat and a former professional fighter himself, has made a striking admission about doping inside the promotion, stating publicly that the majority of fighters on the roster are using banned substances rather than competing clean.
Bibulatov, who fought professionally at a record of 14 wins and 2 losses and competed as a flyweight, spoke candidly about the scale of the problem. The 37-year-old, who stood five-foot-five with a 65-inch reach, indicated that ACA has already begun testing fighters and accumulating data on prohibited substance use. In a notable observation, he said athletes who accept bouts on short notice tend to show cleaner results, simply because they have not had sufficient time to cycle off whatever they were taking.
The ACA president acknowledged that running a thorough anti-doping program carries significant costs, and he floated the idea that Russian promotions should pool resources and collaborate on a shared testing framework. He expressed doubt, however, that such cooperation would materialize in practice.
Why it matters
- Bibulatov's admission that doping is widespread inside ACA raises serious questions about the integrity of results across the promotion's recent events.
- His claim that short-notice fighters skew cleaner implies that planned preparation cycles are closely tied to PED use among regularly scheduled competitors.
- The suggestion of one-year suspensions for violators, if formalized, would represent a meaningful deterrent in a regional market where enforcement has historically been limited.
- A potential industry-wide testing coalition among Russian promotions, however unlikely Bibulatov himself considers it, could reshape anti-doping standards in the region if it ever gained traction.
