Magomedrasul Gasanov was removed from his scheduled UFC fight against Abubakar Vagaev after a substance in his system raised concerns with the promotion. According to Gasanov's sparring partner Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov submitted records of all compounds taken over the past six months and passed his drug test, but the UFC identified a specific substance that remained in his bloodstream for an extended period and flagged the case. Aliskerov compared the situation to the meldonium controversy that previously affected other fighters, suggesting the substance had been used previously and simply persisted in Gasanov's system.
Magomedrasul Gasanov has been pulled from his scheduled UFC bout against Abubakar Vagaev after the promotion flagged a specific substance detected in his system, it was confirmed on June 24.
According to Ikram Aliskerov, Gasanov's sparring partner, the fighter submitted documentation of every compound he had taken over the preceding six months and subsequently passed his drug test. Despite that, the UFC identified one particular substance that had remained in his bloodstream for an extended period, prompting the promotion to remove him from the matchup.
Aliskerov, a 33-year-old Russian middleweight fighting out of KHK MMA, drew a comparison to the meldonium controversy that previously ensnared other combat sports athletes. His account suggests Gasanov may have used the substance at some earlier point and that it simply persisted in his system rather than reflecting active use at the time of testing.
Aliskerov himself carries an 18-2 professional record and is one of the more prominent figures in Gasanov's training circle. Standing six feet tall with a 76-inch reach, the southpaw is among the more statistically prolific strikers in his division, landing 6.86 significant strikes per minute at a 64 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Gasanov's removal leaves Vagaev without an opponent, creating a scheduling problem for the UFC.
- The case echoes past meldonium disputes, where the lengthy half-life of a substance complicated disciplinary outcomes.
- No formal anti-doping violation has been announced; the situation remains unresolved pending further review.
