UFC heavyweight prospect Hamdy Abdelwahab receives 2-year suspension from USADA

UFC heavyweight prospect Hamdy Abdelwahab will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Abdelwahab, 30, has accepted a two-year suspension that stretches into the summer of 2024 for violations of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, USADA announced Friday.

The Egyptian heavyweight tested positive for the anabolic agent metenolone and its metabolite in two drug screenings in 2022 ahead of his UFC debut — an in-competition sample collected on July 30, and an out-of-competition sample collected on August 27. The two positive samples were combined into a single violation because Abdelwahab was not aware of his first failed test at the time of his second sample collection, USADA stated.

Abdelwahab was also handed a tampering violation for failing to disclose his banned substance use upon joining the UFC Anti-Doping Program following his UFC signing.

Per a USADA statement:

Upon being added to the UFC Anti-Doping Program, athletes are required to declare prohibited substances they have used in the previous 12 months and the failure to make such a declaration, absent a compelling justification, is considered a tampering violation under section 2.5.2 of the Policy. Abdelwahab did not declare the use of methenolone on his onboarding declaration forms and did not establish a compelling justification for his failure to do so. Based on USADA’s investigation, it was determined that Abdelwahab used the prohibited substance and knew of his obligation to declare it.

Abdelwahab (6-0) is the first Egyptian fighter to sign with the UFC. He defeated Don’Tale Mayes via split decision in his promotional debut on July 30 at UFC 277. He was subsequently scheduled to face Parker Porter on October 22 at UFC 280 but was removed from the event.

Abdelwahab’s case also falls under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which oversaw UFC 277, meaning he will likely face punishment from the TDLR as well.

Abdelwahab’s two-year suspension is retroactive to July 30, 2022. It is set to expire on July 30, 2024.