“I wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear about a member of Nurmagomedov’s team testing positive for steroids,” the Irishman wrote on social media. “They are hypocrites of the highest order.”
“Steroids are haram! The scorn of the Almighty hangs over the Nurmagomedov clan. They are cheaters! Abdulmanap is turning over in his grave.”
Two days earlier, the head of the California State Athletic Commission, Andy Foster, announced that the Russian had failed a doping test following his Bellator lightweight grand prix semifinal match against American Brent Primus, whom he beat by unanimous decision on Oct. 7 at Bellator 300 in San Diego. As a consequence, the commission canceled the result of the fight, recognizing it as a forfeit, and Nurmagomedov lost his place in the grand prix finals to Primus.
It is not yet known whether the Russian, who ranks third in the organization’s top fighters rankings regardless of weight, will be stripped of his title or whether the organization will decide to play for the interim belt in the grand prix final.
According to Usman Nurmagomedov’s statement, the banned substance entered his system along with a medication he did not notify the Athletic Commission about taking.