‘Ukrainian McGregor’ suspended after positive drugs test – media
Askar Mozharov – known by some as the ‘Ukrainian Conor McGregor’ for his supposed resemblance to the tattooed Irishman – has been suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a positive doping sample, according to MMA media.
MMA Fighting cites a report from the Nevada authorities as stating that Mozharov, 27, tested positive for metabolic modulator GW1516 sulfone from samples taken around his fight with Alonzo Menifield at the UFC Fight Night card held in Las Vegas on June 4.
The amount of the substance is said be below the limit permitted by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), but is not allowed under separate Nevada rules.
Mozharov has been temporarily suspended pending a hearing in September, MMA Fighting reports.
The Ukrainian suffered a first-round TKO defeat to Menifield and was released by the UFC after just one fight with the elite promotion.
The news of his exit came amid a scandal over claims that Mozharov and his team had artificially inflated his professional record.
Mozharov’s ledger underwent some changes shortly after an investigation by Sherdog, the reputable online outlet which tracks career wins and losses for combat sports professionals.
Sherdog claimed in its report that people close to Mozharov had attempted to defraud it and burnish his record, and ultimately commuted his stats, which currently read 15 wins and 14 losses for the Odessa-born fighter.
Mozharov earned his ‘Ukrainian McGregor’ moniker due to the similar tattoos he sports to the notorious Dubliner – with some even humorously referring to him as ‘Cosplay McGregor’.
Mozharov is said to currently reside in Dubai, according MMA Fighting.
