Ali Bagautinov Tests Positive for EPO, Suspended for One Year

Man, UFC 174 is just getting dragged through the proverbial mud right now. UFC Flyweight contender Ali Bagautinov has tested positive for EPO in his UFC Flyweight Championship bout and the Vancouver AC has in turn suspended him for one full year. Ouch. EPO, known as Erythropoietin is considered a banned substance that is used for blood doping and has a history in both the Olympics and Cycling, making it a dirty word in the world of sports.

One has to believe that Ali Bagautinov has put himself in a terrible position with the UFC, not only being suspended for a year, but doping in a UFC title fight. If he had won that fight and tested positive it would have placed the UFC in the unenviable position of having to strip him of a title that has had a difficult time gaining traction with their audience. Ali Bagautinov trains out of the Jackson’s MMA camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but is originally from Dagestan. [source]