Gasanov pulled from UFC bout over banned substance that lingered in system

Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled fight against Abubakar Vagaev after UFC flagged a substance found in his system that the organization did not approve. According to Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov had not used any banned substances recently and passed subsequent testing, but the compound remains detectable in the bloodstream for an extended period. Aliskerov compared the situation to the meldonium cases that affected multiple Russian-speaking athletes, suggesting the substance was a commonplace supplement rather than a performance-enhancing drug.