Testing positive for a banned substance often brings serious consequences in sports, and a former UFC title challenger has now been penalized for crossing that line, resulting in a lengthy 16-month suspension.
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Volkan Oezdemir, who challenged Daniel Cormier for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 220 in 2018 and lost via second-round TKO, failed a doping test back in February, testing positive for the banned substance EPO. Through social media, the 36-year-old light heavyweight contender clarified that a healthcare professional from his home country of Switzerland allegedly persuaded him to take it after they initially began discussing some business opportunities.
“In February, I tested positive for EPO after following the recommendations of a healthcare professional,” Oezdemir wrote on Instagram. “As an athlete, I am responsible for everything I put into my body. I made a mistake, and I take full responsibility for it. At the end of 2025, I competed in Qatar. A few days later, I was contacted on Instagram by a healthcare professional based in Switzerland. He introduced himself as a supporter and suggested that we meet.
“During our first meeting, he told me about his connections with influential people, investment opportunities in one of the Gulf states and potential prospects for my career after retirement from sport. He also mentioned the possibility of patronage. I was 36 years old and thinking about life after my sporting career. So I was interested.”
According to him, after the initial meeting, his conversation with the Switzerland-based healthcare professional took a complete turn and went from business discussions to his personal recovery. The No.8 ranked UFC light heavyweight revealed that he had been dealing with an ankle injury after his fight against Alonzo Menifield at UFC Qatar last year, and the individual, whose identity he chose not to reveal, allegedly presented him with a “plan” to recover within two months, describing the substance as “safe.”
But it ultimately turned out to be EPO therapy, which the UFC veteran ended up taking, a decision he now regrets after being handed a suspension.
“I was recovering from ankle surgery,” Oezdemir confessed. “The healthcare professional and I met again. The conversation shifted. He no longer talked about business but about my recovery. He presented me with a plan that, according to him, would get me back to peak physical condition within two months.
“He showed me a substance that he described as safe and undetectable. He had prepared a vial of EPO. He told me not to tell anyone about it. I complied. I gave myself the first injection that same evening. That was my decision. And it was the biggest mistake of my life.”
When it comes to Erythropoietin, better known as EPO, it increases red blood cell production in the body, allowing more oxygen to reach the muscles and giving fighters considerably better endurance. In professional competition, the substance can provide an athlete with a significant advantage over the opponent. For that reason, it is considered a banned substance.
Volkan Oezdemir’s case is surprising because he had never tested positive for any banned substance before and maintained a clean record until this latest doping test failure. However, former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw became one of the most notable fighters to be suspended after testing positive for EPO. Dillashaw admitted to using the banned substance for weight cutting ahead of fighting Henry Cejudo, prompting UFC’s former drug testing partner, USADA, to ban him for two years.
Now, after Volkan Oezdemir disclosed details about how he ended up taking EPO, he has also revealed taking a crucial next step.
Volkan Oezdemir contacted UFC following EPO use
After explaining the saga behind his EPO doping case, the 21-8 fighter revealed that the UFC’s current anti-doping partner, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), arrived at his home on March 5 with the positive test results. After that, he felt the urgent need to communicate with the UFC regarding his offense, and he did the same with CSAD.
“Three days later, the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) team came to my home to conduct an anti-doping test,” Oezdemir explained. “On March 5, I was informed that my test had come back positive. In that moment, the illusion was shattered, and my reality changed. But in a way, it was also a relief. I decided to tell the UFC everything.
“I cooperated immediately. I did the same with CSAD. In the end, I received a 16-month suspension in light of my cooperation and the mitigating circumstances.”
While he didn’t reveal the official starting date of his suspension, it is likely that he will be allowed back in sometime in 2027. It appears Volkan Oezdemir’s decision to immediately inform the UFC may have probably helped his case. As seen in T.J. Dillashaw’s case, the former UFC bantamweight champion received a two-year suspension from USADA after testing positive for EPO. So, it’s not unreasonable to think the Swiss UFC veteran could have faced a longer ban had he not fully cooperated. But while the 36-year-old publicly addressed his positive test, the UFC also released an official statement regarding the situation.
In its official release, the UFC said it reviewed the evidence surrounding Oezdemir’s positive test and referred the matter to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Subsequently, WADA connected CSAD with the Swiss authorities, who are reportedly set to interview the fighter for further clarification.
