Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled fight against Abubakar Vagaev after UFC raised concerns over a substance found in his system. According to Ikram Aliskerov, a sparring partner of Gasanov, the fighter submitted records of all substances used over the past six months and tested clean, but UFC flagged one particular compound that remains detectable in the body for an extended period. Aliskerov compared the situation to the meldonium cases that previously affected other fighters, suggesting the substance was not used for performance-enhancing purposes.
Magomedrasul Gasanov has been pulled from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after the promotion raised concerns about a substance detected in his system, according to a statement from his sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov.
Aliskerov, an 18-2 Russian middleweight fighting out of KHK MMA, said Gasanov submitted records of every substance he had used over the previous six months and returned clean results, but that the UFC flagged one specific compound capable of remaining detectable in the body for a prolonged period. The 33-year-old southpaw drew a parallel to the meldonium controversy that ensnared several fighters and athletes in previous years, arguing the flagged substance was not taken for performance-enhancing purposes.
Gasanov's verified fighter data was not included in the available records, so specific career statistics for the withdrawn fighter cannot be confirmed here.
Why it matters
- The removal leaves Vagaev without an opponent, creating a scheduling problem for the UFC booking.
- Aliskerov's meldonium comparison raises questions about how the promotion handles substances that linger in the body long after use has ceased.
- The situation highlights the broader tension between anti-doping enforcement and the difficulty fighters can face proving the context of a positive flag.
