Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled fight against Abubakar Vagaev after a substance in his system was flagged by the UFC. Sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov said Gasanov had submitted records of everything he had taken over the past six months and tested clean, but a particular compound that lingers long in the bloodstream was deemed problematic. Aliskerov compared the situation to the meldonium cases that affected other fighters and said Gasanov's physical condition remains unchanged from his time competing in ACA.
Magomedrasul Gasanov has been pulled from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after anti-doping authorities flagged a substance detected in his system, the promotion confirmed ahead of the matchup.
According to Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov's sparring partner, the fighter submitted a full six-month record of everything he had consumed and subsequently tested clean. Aliskerov indicated the issue centers on a particular compound known to linger in the bloodstream for an extended period, drawing a comparison to the meldonium cases that swept through combat sports and caught several fighters in similar circumstances. Aliskerov also noted that Gasanov's physical condition remains consistent with what he showed during his time competing in ACA, suggesting the flagged substance had no performance-enhancing effect at the time of competition.
Aliskerov himself is a prominent figure in the UFC's middleweight division. The 33-year-old Russian, who trains out of KHK MMA, carries an 18-2 record and fights out of a southpaw stance at six feet tall with a 76-inch reach. He is one of the more active strikers in the division, landing 6.86 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 64 percent, while also contributing on the grappling side with 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Gasanov's removal leaves Vagaev without a scheduled opponent, creating a gap on the card.
- The meldonium comparison raises questions about how long-lingering compounds are handled under the UFC's anti-doping framework.
- Gasanov's clean retest and documented supplement records could become central to any appeal or reinstatement process.
