Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled fight against Abubakar Vagaev after UFC flagged a substance found in his system. According to his sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov provided a full record of supplements used over the past six months and subsequently tested clean, but UFC insisted on re-testing due to the specific compound involved. Aliskerov compared the situation to the meldonite cases that previously affected Russian athletes, saying the substance lingers in the bloodstream long after use and that Gasanov's physical condition has not changed since leaving ACB.
Magomedrasul Gasanov has been pulled from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after the promotion flagged a substance detected in his system, with the situation drawing comparisons to the meldonium controversies that swept through Russian sport in recent years.
The details emerged through Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, who said Gasanov supplied a complete record of every supplement he had taken over the previous six months and subsequently returned a clean test. Despite that, the UFC requested further re-testing because of the specific compound identified, a step the promotion insisted upon given the nature of the substance involved. Aliskerov explained that the compound can remain in an athlete's bloodstream long after use has stopped, drawing a direct parallel to the meldonium cases that caused widespread suspensions among Russian competitors. He also noted that Gasanov's physical condition has shown no change since his time competing in ACB.
Aliskerov himself is a 33-year-old Russian middleweight fighting out of KHK MMA. Standing six feet tall with a 76-inch reach, the southpaw holds an 18-2-0 professional record and is regarded as one of the division's most accurate and active strikers, landing 6.86 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 64 percent. He also averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes, underscoring his well-rounded threat.
Why it matters
- Gasanov's removal leaves Vagaev without an opponent, creating a scheduling gap the UFC will need to address.
- The re-testing demand suggests the compound involved may fall under a category requiring additional scrutiny beyond a standard negative result.
- Aliskerov's public comparison to the meldonium precedent frames this as a potential lingering-substance dispute rather than a straightforward doping allegation.
