Volkan Oezdemir got caught, and he isn’t hiding from it.
The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger revealed Friday in an Instagram statement that Combat Sports Anti-Doping, the UFC’s anti-doping program, has suspended him 16 months after he tested positive for EPO. The UFC confirmed the suspension shortly after. The positive test came in February, per Oezdemir, which would make him eligible to return in June 2027 at 37 years old.
Oezdemir says it started while he was rehabbing an ankle injury. He met a Swiss healthcare professional, initially through a business venture, who told him a substance would speed up his recovery and wouldn’t be detected. He took the injection.
That was my decision. And it was the biggest mistake of my life. … 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.
The UFC says it flagged the case to the World Anti-Doping Agency, which alerted Swiss authorities, who interviewed Oezdemir. The promotion says he stayed transparent throughout.
Oezdemir framed his self-reliance as the thing that betrayed him.
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.
He offered no excuses.
I acknowledge what I did, and I take full responsibility for it. Every athlete is responsible for what they put into their body. … I let down my sport, my fans, and ultimately, myself.
Oezdemir hasn’t fought since a knockout win over Alonzo Menifield in November, and he’s 3-1 across his last four. A UFC mainstay since 2017, he won his first three fights in the promotion inside seven months to earn a title shot against then-champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 220 in January 2018, losing by second-round TKO.
