Volkan Oezdemir says he accepted a 16-month UFC suspension after testing positive for EPO during recovery from ankle surgery.
UFC Anti-Doping listed EPO in out-of-competition urine and blood samples collected from Oezdemir on February 16, 2026, and March 5, 2026, in Le Mouret, Switzerland. The program said Oezdemir cooperated with Combat Sports Anti-Doping and Swiss law enforcement, and that the reduced sanction followed that cooperation and the evidence reviewed in the case.
Oezdemir addressed the case in an Instagram statement:
“In February, I tested positive for EPO after following the recommendations of a healthcare professional. As an elite athlete, I am responsible for everything I put in 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 the 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.
“I was recovering from ankle surgery. 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.
“Three days later, the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) team came to my home to conduct an anti-doping test. 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: a healthcare professional played a significant role; he initially approached me under the pretense of discussing business; he had prepared the substances himself and provided them to me free of charge.
“My independence has always been one of my strengths. I left home at a young age to live abroad. I built my career far from my family. I moved from country to country to pursue my sport. I got used to dealing with problems on my own. But this time, it became a weakness. Today, I want to say to every athlete—especially those competing in individual sports—that isolation is a risk.
“I acknowledge what I did, and I take full responsibility for it. Every athlete is responsible for what they put into their body. I am sharing how this happened because I needed to understand my own actions. And because what happened to me could happen to other athletes. I let down my sport, my fans, and ultimately, myself. To everyone who has supported me—my family, my loved ones, and my supporters—I am deeply sorry.”
What The UFC Anti-Doping Case Says
UFC Anti-Doping identified EPO as a prohibited substance in the class of peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics. EPO is used to increase red blood cell production and oxygen delivery, which is why it is treated as a serious anti-doping violation in combat sports.
The UFC Anti-Doping notice said Oezdemir did not seek out EPO, but was contacted by a local pharmacist who convinced him that it could improve performance and would not be detected. CSAD also cited Oezdemir’s transparency during the investigation when deciding a 16-month sanction was appropriate.
Oezdemir’s suspension removes a ranked light heavyweight from the division until 2027. He is 21-8 as a professional, has 14 knockout wins, and remains best known for his fast 2017 UFC rise that led to a light heavyweight title fight with Daniel Cormier at UFC 220 in January 2018.
His recent run included a knockout win over Alonzo Menifield in Qatar before a decision loss to current champion Carlos Ulberg. Oezdemir also kept his ranked place with stoppage wins such as his first-round knockout of Johnny Walker, while the division around him still includes contenders such as Jiri Prochazka.
