UFC light-heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir just dropped a bombshell announcement that has the fight world reeling: he admitted to injecting EPO, a banned performance-enhancing steroid, and is now facing a massive 16-month suspension. This isn’t just a failed drug test, it’s a full confession from a former title challenger who says he made the “biggest mistake of my life.”
The Deceptive Setup and the First Needle
Oezdemir, the 36-year-old Swiss fighter, took to Instagram to lay it all out, calling it a “difficult one” and hoping his story could help other athletes. The whole mess started at the end of 2025 after he competed in Qatar. That’s when a “healthcare professional” from Switzerland slid into his DMs on Instagram, acting like a supporter and wanting to meet. Their first chat was all about connections, investment opportunities in the Gulf states, and potential post-retirement career moves. Oezdemir, already 36 and thinking about life after fighting, plus recovering from ankle surgery, was definitely interested in that patronage talk.
But then the script flipped. In their next meeting, the business talk vanished. The “professional” suddenly focused on Oezdemir’s recovery, promising a plan to get him back to peak physical condition in just two months. That’s when the vial came out. Oezdemir alleges he was shown EPO, described as “safe and undetectable.” He was told to keep it quiet. He complied. That very evening, he gave himself the first injection. He calls it his decision, and his “biggest mistake of my life.” Talk about a sucker punch.
The Immediate Fallout and a Crushing Ban
The illusion didn’t last long, not even three days. The Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) team showed up at Oezdemir’s home to conduct a test. On March 5, the hammer dropped: the test was positive. He said that moment “shattered” his illusion, but in a strange twist, it was also a “relief.” What a heavy burden to carry.
He didn’t try to hide it. Oezdemir immediately told the UFC everything and cooperated fully with both the UFC and CSAD. That cooperation, along with some pretty significant mitigating circumstances, ultimately led to his 16-month suspension. The professional’s role, the deceptive business approach, and providing the substances free of charge all played into the decision. Oezdemir summed it up pretty starkly: “I let down my sport, my fans, and ultimately, myself.” He’s deeply sorry to his family, his loved one, and all his supporters. It’s tough to read, man.
Before this, Oezdemir’s last fight was a first-round stoppage of Alonzo Menifield, bringing his professional record to 21-8. It’s a stark contrast to his earlier career, where he was 15-1 before challenging Daniel Cormier for the title back in 2018. Since that Cormier fight, his record stands at 6-7. This isn’t the first time the UFC has seen this either; former bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw admitted to EPO use in March 2019 and got a one-year ban after his TKO loss to Henry Cejudo. For Oezdemir, the 16-month clock is ticking. You gotta wonder how he rebuilds his trust, and if we’ll ever see that pre-Cormier form again after this long layoff and this heavy admission.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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