Former UFC title challenger Volkan Oezdemir has accepted a 16-month ban after testing positive for EPO.
The disciplinary outcome was confirmed Friday, July 17, 2026, and follows a positive test for the banned substance. The suspension sidelines Oezdemir from UFC competition for the duration of the ban.
According to background information, Oezdemir described following recommendations of a healthcare professional before testing positive for EPO. He was recovering from ankle surgery when he met the healthcare professional who provided the substance.
Elsewhere in the UFC landscape, Conor McGregor is awaiting surgery for an injury related to UFC 329, while former champion Kamaru Usman traveled to UFC Oklahoma City.
Outside the UFC, a first-ever robot MMA fight in China ended by decapitation, prompting at least one colorful reaction: "Them dang robots took our jerbs!"
