UFC fighter Irina Alekseeva finds herself sidelined for a year, but she won’t have to wait much longer to return to the octagon.
The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) handed down a one-year suspension following a drug test debacle that dates back to June 2023.
Alekseeva tested positive for elevated testosterone levels, signaling external testosterone use, from a sample collected on June 21, 2023.
The commission backdated her suspension to October 14, 2023—the day after her last fight, allowing her to fight again by October 15, 2024. Alongside the suspension, Alekseeva was fined $157.04 for legal fees.
The timing of this suspension raised eyebrows, as Alekseeva was allowed to fight on October 14, despite the failed test from months earlier.
The Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), the new watchdog for the UFC’s drug policy, shifted blame onto the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for delays in processing Alekseeva’s results.
After the June test flagged elevated testosterone, USADA failed to notify Alekseeva and the UFC until October 31, well after she fought in Las Vegas.
In the meantime, additional tests collected in August and September came back clean, as did one on the day of her October bout.
In the end, CSAD ruled for a retroactive one-year suspension, with Alekseeva eligible to return in mid-October. Despite the suspension, Alekseeva’s UFC record stands at 1-1 after losing to Melissa Mullins in her last fight.
In a separate case, Bellator fighter JayJay Wilson received a nine-month suspension after testing positive for the anabolic steroid methenolone. His ban ends in January 2025, with a matching fine of $157.04.
Both cases serve as reminders of the ongoing scrutiny fighters face under strict anti-doping regulations, with delays and confusion adding extra hurdles to already intense careers.
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