Undefeated UFC light heavyweight accepts six-month ban for second doping violation
Azamat Murzakanov has accepted a 180-day suspension for a violation of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced a six-month ban for the UFC’s No.12-ranked light heavyweight contender on Monday. Murzakanov will not be allowed to compete until May 1Getty It will be a big blow for the Nalchik, Russia native as he now misses the first quarter of 2025, following an excellent start to his UFC career. Murzakanov emerged through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, and went on to win his first four bouts in the UFC. He was awarded a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus on his debut with the promotion after a superb flying knee flattened Tafon Nchukwi in the third round. The 35-year-old had his last UFC fight in August against Alonzo Menifield, winning via TKO in the second round to boost his undefeated professional MMA record to 14-0, with five wins in the UFC. “Murzakanov tested positive for the low-level presence of a metabolite of LGD-4033, a prohibited-at-all-times substance in the class of anabolic agents on the UFC Prohibited List,” a statement released by the UFC read. “A sealed bottle of a purported dietary supplement that Murzakanov used leading up to this sample provision was procured and sent to the UFC ADP’s testing laboratory, Sports Medicine and Research Testing Laboratory (SMRTL), in Salt Lake City, Utah, for analysis. “The analysis found a low-level presence of LGD-4033 in the sealed supplement, despite not being listed on its labeled ingredients. “SMRTL advised CSAD that the low level of LGD-4033 contaminant in the sealed supplement, as well as the low level of LGD-4033 metabolite in Murzakanov’s sample, would not provide any significant performance advantage.” Murzakanov tested positive for LGD-4033 in an out-of-competition test taken on October 8, 2024. A later sample collected on October 31 from Murzakanov turned out to be negative, which supported the undefeated light heavyweight’s timeline about when he took and discontinued taking the prohibited drug. The Russian light heavyweight is undefeated in pro MMAGetty This was the Russian’s second anti-doping violation since signing with the UFC, which meant his suspension was doubled from 90 days to 180. USADA, the UFC’s previous anti-doping partner, announced a two-year ban for Murzakanov stemming from a 2017 violation ahead of his scheduled UFC debut. The suspension for his second ban started on November 1, 2024, and will end on May 1, 2025. Alex Pereira is the current UFC light heavyweight champion, having defended the 205-pounds strap three times in 2024. He was named fighter of the year at the World MMA Awards and features on talkSPORT.com’s greatest UFC knockouts of 2024. Pereira teased his return to action on Tuesday, posting a video of him training on social media. View Tweet: https://t.co/3jgBhrlZu6 “See you soon Sydney Australia! Chama,” he wrote on X. UFC 312 takes place in Sydney, Australia on February 9, 2025 as Dricus Du Plessis puts his middleweight belt on the line for the second time against Sean Strickland.
Azamat Murzakanov has accepted a 180-day suspension for a violation of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced a six-month ban for the UFC’s No.12-ranked light heavyweight contender on Monday.
It will be a big blow for the Nalchik, Russia native as he now misses the first quarter of 2025, following an excellent start to his UFC career.
Murzakanov emerged through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, and went on to win his first four bouts in the UFC.
He was awarded a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus on his debut with the promotion after a superb flying knee flattened Tafon Nchukwi in the third round.
The 35-year-old had his last UFC fight in August against Alonzo Menifield, winning via TKO in the second round to boost his undefeated professional MMA record to 14-0, with five wins in the UFC.
“Murzakanov tested positive for the low-level presence of a metabolite of LGD-4033, a prohibited-at-all-times substance in the class of anabolic agents on the UFC Prohibited List,” a statement released by the UFC read.
“A sealed bottle of a purported dietary supplement that Murzakanov used leading up to this sample provision was procured and sent to the UFC ADP’s testing laboratory, Sports Medicine and Research Testing Laboratory (SMRTL), in Salt Lake City, Utah, for analysis.
“The analysis found a low-level presence of LGD-4033 in the sealed supplement, despite not being listed on its labeled ingredients.
“SMRTL advised CSAD that the low level of LGD-4033 contaminant in the sealed supplement, as well as the low level of LGD-4033 metabolite in Murzakanov’s sample, would not provide any significant performance advantage.”
Murzakanov tested positive for LGD-4033 in an out-of-competition test taken on October 8, 2024.
A later sample collected on October 31 from Murzakanov turned out to be negative, which supported the undefeated light heavyweight’s timeline about when he took and discontinued taking the prohibited drug.
This was the Russian’s second anti-doping violation since signing with the UFC, which meant his suspension was doubled from 90 days to 180.
USADA, the UFC’s previous anti-doping partner, announced a two-year ban for Murzakanov stemming from a 2017 violation ahead of his scheduled UFC debut.
The suspension for his second ban started on November 1, 2024, and will end on May 1, 2025.
Alex Pereira is the current UFC light heavyweight champion, having defended the 205-pounds strap three times in 2024.
He was named fighter of the year at the World MMA Awards and features on talkSPORT.com’s greatest UFC knockouts of 2024.
Pereira teased his return to action on Tuesday, posting a video of him training on social media.
“See you soon Sydney Australia! Chama,” he wrote on X.
UFC 312 takes place in Sydney, Australia on February 9, 2025 as Dricus Du Plessis puts his middleweight belt on the line for the second time against Sean Strickland.
