Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled bout against Abubakar Vagaev after the UFC identified a prohibited substance in his testing history. According to Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov's recent tests came back clean but the UFC flagged an earlier substance that remains in the body for an extended period, a situation Aliskerov compared to the mildronate cases that previously affected other fighters including Islam Makhachev. Aliskerov maintained that Gasanov's physical condition is unchanged and that the UFC's decision amounted to an overreaction.
Magomedrasul Gasanov has been pulled from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after the organization flagged a prohibited substance in his testing history, it was confirmed on June 24.
The situation was publicly addressed by Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, who stated that Gasanov's most recent tests returned clean and that the flagged substance is one that can remain detectable in the body for an extended period of time. Aliskerov drew a parallel to the mildronate cases that previously affected other fighters, including welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, and argued that the UFC's decision to remove Gasanov from the fight amounted to an overreaction. Aliskerov also maintained that Gasanov's physical condition has not changed.
Aliskerov himself is a 33-year-old Russian middleweight competing out of KHK MMA. He carries an 18-2 professional record and is one of the division's more aggressive strikers, landing 6.86 significant strikes per minute at a 64 percent accuracy rate, with a six-foot frame and a 76-inch reach.
The fighter he referenced in comparison, Islam Makhachev, is the current welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the promotion. The 34-year-old Russian holds a 28-1 record and trains out of Eagles MMA, bringing a well-rounded skill set that includes 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and a 58 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Gasanov's removal leaves his bout against Vagaev without a confirmed replacement, creating a scheduling gap on the card.
- The flagged-substance scenario echoes previous mildronate-related cases, raising questions about how the UFC handles substances with prolonged detection windows.
- Aliskerov's public comments put additional scrutiny on the UFC's testing and removal process before any formal ruling has been issued.
