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A UFC fighter is looking at a two-year layoff after popping for a banned substance.
There hasn’t been a ton of drug test failures since the UFC replaced their anti-doping agency USADA with Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) in 2024, with a few violations here and there.
One example is UFC heavyweight Alvin Hines, who apologized for testing positive for anabolic steroids in his UFC debut earlier this summer.
This week, the UFC’s anti-doping agency handed out another suspension, this time to a veteran with a .500 record in the Octagon.
UFC’s Maryna Moroz gets one-year suspension due to meldonium
UFC fighter Maryna Moroz has 12 fights across women’s divisions, going 6-6 overall.
In her tenth year in the UFC, Moroz was handed a one-year suspension by CSAD for testing positive for the banned substance meldonium.
According to the UFC’s official statement, this violation stemmed from Moroz’s out-of-competition samples from June 25, 2025, and July 16, 2025.
“Because Moroz had not been notified of the first adverse sample at the time of the second sample collection on July 16, 2025, both adverse findings are considered a single violation under the UFC ADP,” the statement read.
“Moroz provided medical documentation that she was under the care of a licensed physician who was treating her reported medical symptoms with meldonium.
“However, Moroz did not tell her physician that she was a drug tested athlete, did not check with UFC-provided resources about the prohibited status of meldonium and she did not submit an application for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to seek permission to use the otherwise prohibited substance for medical reasons.
“CSAD further considered evidence submitted in this case by Moroz that she used the meldonium for a limited amount of time and that during her use of said substance, she did not have any bouts scheduled. Moroz submitted to a detailed interview with CSAD and as a result, CSAD determined that Moroz satisfied the “complete cooperation” clause of the UFC ADP in her interactions with CSAD.
“For these reasons, CSAD determined that an appropriate sanction under these circumstances was 1-year, which is a 1-year reduction from the standard 2-year sanction for meldonium. Moroz’s 1-year suspension began on July 17, 2025, the date on which she was first notified of her provisional suspension. Moroz’s 12-month period of ineligibility will be completed on July 17, 2026.”
It looks like the American Top Team product is staying in the gym until then.
When Moroz’s suspension is finally lifted in 2026, it will have been nearly a thousand days since her last rematch against Joanne Wood at UFC 299, which she lost by split decision in Mar. 2024.
Who has Maryna Moroz fought in the UFC?
Ukraine’s Moroz has been on the UFC roster since 2015. She aced her UFC debut with a 90-second armbar of Wood, the perennial contender.
Moroz’s last win in the Octagon was arguably her best when she submitted rival Mariya Agapova with an arm triangle choke on the undercard of Colby Covington’s and Jorge Masvidal’s grudge match at UFC 272 in 2023.
Moroz has wins over former UFC title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva, Sabina Mazo, Danielle Taylor, and Cristina Stanciu.
The 33-year-old has lost to the likes of former champ Carla Esparza, Jennifer Maia, Angela Hill, Valerie Letourneau, and Karine Silva. All of these fighters have either fought for the title or been ranked in the top-10 at some point in their careers.
