Magomedrasul Gasanov has been removed from his scheduled bout against Abubakar Vagaev after UFC flagged a substance found during testing. According to Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov provided records of supplements taken over the past six months and tested clean, but UFC required him to retest due to a banned substance that lingers in the body for an extended period. Aliskerov drew a parallel to the meldonium cases seen in Russian sport, suggesting the substance may have been used long before and was not an active violation.
Magomedrasul Gasanov has been pulled from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after a banned substance was detected during pre-fight testing, it was confirmed on June 24.
Details of the situation were relayed publicly by Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, a fellow Russian fighter who trains alongside him at KHK MMA. Aliskerov, 33, holds an 18-2 professional record and competes as a southpaw at six feet tall with a 76-inch reach. He is regarded as a credible voice from within the camp, posting significant striking numbers of 6.86 significant strikes landed per minute at 64 percent accuracy, along with 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes.
According to Aliskerov's account, Gasanov submitted records of every supplement he had consumed over the prior six months and returned a clean result on a subsequent test. Despite that, the UFC required him to retest because the flagged substance is one known to linger in the body for an extended period. Aliskerov drew a comparison to the meldonium controversy that swept through Russian sport, suggesting the substance may have entered Gasanov's system well before any active use and does not represent a deliberate violation.
The fight against Abubakar Vagaev has been removed from the card as a result of the testing issue, with no replacement bout announced.
Why it matters
- The case echoes the meldonium precedent, where athletes tested positive for a substance they may have taken legally before it was banned or flagged
- Gasanov's willingness to provide a six-month supplement log and his clean retest result adds complexity to a straightforward suspension narrative
- Vagaev is left without an opponent, creating a scheduling problem for the promotion
- The outcome of the mandatory retest will likely determine whether Gasanov faces a formal sanction or is cleared to rebook
