Dan Hooker has accused Islam Makhachev of using an IV to rehydrate after weighing in for his UFC 284 main event with Alexander Volkanovski, which is an infraction that USADA penalizes with a 2 year suspension.
Makhachev’s US manager was the first to rebuff charges going so far as to call them racist.
Makhachev’s co-manager, Rizvan Magomedov, denied the accusations and called Hooker a “loser” who is “salty and just looking for attention.” Hooker has a history with Makhachev, having lost to him by first-round submission at UFC 267 in October 2021.
After landing in Dagestan, Makhachev answered several questions from the media including the question of the pound for pound rankings remaining unchanged along with directly addressing Hooker’s accusations.
Makhachev went on to say:
“We have a commission. I don’t even want to comment. We have experts who work with the UFC. I was tested four times before and after the clash. Someone posted a photo of me with a bruise. In Australia, they had a commission that took blood on Wednesday. And they took photos from Thursday. One of the fighters said it and the UFC and USADA didn’t say anything.”
This is on par with what calfkicker’s investigation of the photos found. The bruise originated on February 9th – on the day of the photoshoot and open work outs. Ahead of the weigh ins.
USADA’s website shows Makhachev was tested four times in the first quarter of 2023 – meaning likely in the last 40 days.
Makhachev also seems unaware that USADA did release a statement saying:
“USADA takes all reports of possible violations seriously and we actively follow up on all information we receive. Under the UFC Prohibited List, all IV infusions and/or injections of more than 100 mL per 12-hour period are prohibited at all times, except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital admissions, surgical procedures or clinical diagnostic investigations, and/or those received in-competition or out-of-competition that are determined to be medically-justified and within the standard of care by a licensed physician and administered by a licensed medical professional, without an approved Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). If a prohibited substance of any amount is administered intravenously by infusion or injection, a TUE is required for this prohibited substance regardless of the volume of the infusion or injection or the circumstances of administration.”