Gasanov Pulled from Vagaev Bout Over UFC Substance Concern

Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after a substance in his system raised concerns with the organization. According to UFC middleweight Ikram Aliskerov, a sparring partner of Gasanov, the fighter provided documentation of all substances taken over the past six months and passed his drug test, but UFC flagged one compound as problematic due to its long retention time in the body. Aliskerov drew a comparison to the meldonium cases that affected multiple Russian athletes, suggesting the substance may have been a common supplement that lingers in the bloodstream long after use.