New UFC signing Abdul-Kerim Edilov has failed a drug test before he’s even had a chance to make his debut for the promotion, USADA have revealed.
The Russian born Edilov had been due to have his first fight in the Octagon against Francimar Barrosa at UFC Fight Night 81 last month, but an injury forced the 24 year-old to pull out of the bout.
Edilov had appeared to be a promising prospect, holding a 16-4 career record and coming off a 10 fight winning streak while competing for promotions in his native Russia.
At this stage it’s not clear exactly what drug Edilov tested positive for, with a statement from the UFC only confirming the potential violation came from an out-of-competition test.
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed Abdul-Kerim Edilov of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection,” an official statement reads.
“USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full and fair legal process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”
Edilov joins the likes of Mirko ‘Cro Cop’, Gleison Tibau, Yoel Romero and Diego Brandao who have also failed drug tests since the UFC ramped up their anti-doping methods in the summer of last year.
