At the time Alexander Shabliy withdrew from the PFL lightweight tournament, it was unclear why. Now we know.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced that Shabliy accepted a six-month suspension for failing a drug test caused by a sample collected March 19. Shabliy, 32, tested positive for recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO), the same performance enhancer that earned former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw a two-year suspension from USADA in 2019.
Shabliy had been slated to fight former Bellator champion Brent Primus at PFL 3 on April 18. Shabliy (24-3) last competed in September 2024, dropping a unanimous decision to then-champ Usman Nurmagomedov.
Shabliy will be eligible to fight again for PFL in September after serving his six-month suspension.
