Unbeaten UFC Fighter Faces Suspension Due to Doping Infraction
On a Monday, the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) dished out a half-year ban for the UFC's 12th-ranked light heavyweight contender, Azamat Murzakanov, hailing from Nalchik, Russia.
Murzakanov consented to the 180-day penalty due to a breach of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy (UFC ADP).
As per a declaration shared by UFC.com, "Murzakanov tested positive for trace amounts of an LGD-4033 metabolite, a forbidden substance in the anabolic agents class on the UFC Prohibited List, derived from an out-of-competition sample taken from him on October 8, 2024. A container presumed to be a dietary supplement, which Murzakanov had been utilizing prior to the sample collection, was obtained and sent to UFC ADP's testing laboratory, Sports Medicine and Research Testing Laboratory (SMRTL), located in Salt Lake City, Utah, for examination. The analysis revealed trace amounts of LGD-4033 in the sealed supplement, despite it not being listed among its labeled components. SMRTL notified CSAD that the minimal presence of LGD-4033 contaminant in the sealed supplement, coupled with the minimal presence of LGD-4033 metabolite in Murzakanov's sample, would not deliver any significant performance enhancement. Moreover, a sample collected from Murzakanov on October 31, 2024, prior to him being notified about the adverse October 8, 2024 sample, was negative. This corroborated Murzakanov's account of when he started and discontinued using the contaminated supplement in question."
This suspension is the second one for Murzakanov, who served a prior ban from the UFC ADP in 2019. Given his status as a two-time violator, Murzakanov's penalty was amplified to 180 days.
The suspension became effective starting from November 1, when he was informed about the adverse findings in his final sample. Murzakanov is eligible to return on May 1, 2025.
Murzakanov, boasting a 14-0 record, had been on a winning streak with the UFC. He scored a 4-0 record with the promotion and gained his spot on the main roster following a first-round KO victory over Matheus Scheffel on Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2021.
Murzakanov followed this victory with a sensational flying-knee KO of Tafon Nchukwi in March 2022. In August 2022, Murzakanov flattened Devin Clark with a third-round TKO win via ground-and-pound.
He also emerged victorious against Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision in April 2023. Murzakanov was expected to face Volkan Oezdemir in September 2023, but Oezdemir dropped out.
He was subsequently slated to square off against Khalil Rountree Jr. in December 2023, but Murzakanov was forced to withdraw due to contracting pneumonia. Murzakanov's most significant win came over Alonzo Menifield Jr. in August, for which he was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus for his second-round KO.
The win also catapulted him into the UFC's Top 15 at light heavyweight. Murzakanov was scheduled to compete against No. 8-ranked light heavyweight Nikita Krylov in November at UFC 309. However, Murzakanov withdrew.
Murzakanov's formidable power and striking skills have positioned him as a formidable presence in the 205-pound division. However, his history of failing drug tests and the increasing number of bouts he's had to pull out of aren't helping his cause.
At 35, time might be running out for him to launch a serious bid for a title opportunity.
- Dana White, the president of UFC, released a statement about Murzakanov's case, expressing concerns about his repeated violations of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
- The UFC 310 card was affected when Murzakanov's opponent, Volkan Oezdemir, was withdrawn due to a matchup change, as Murzakanov was unable to compete due to his suspension.
- During his suspension, Murzakanov missed out on several Fight Night events, including UFC 311 and UFC 312, which could have provided him with an opportunity to improve his ranking in the light heavyweight division.
- After serving his 180-day ban, Murzakanov is expected to return to the UFC octagon in May 2025, potentially competing in UFC 312 or a subsequent event, aiming to make up for lost time and reestablish his place in the UFC's light heavyweight division.
