Once again, the Dana White-run promotion is making good on its promise to ferret out those who would cheat in their anti-doping program. And this time, it has its sights set on a rising featherweight contender. Khusein Askhabov failed a test sample that revealed the presence of prohibited substances, and now he finds himself suspended for two years pending his case’s resolution.

MMA journalist Marcel Dorff tweeted the news Tuesday morning. Combat Sports Anti-Doping safety announced that Askhabov had violated the UFC Anti-Doping Policy due to “the presence of Methandienone metabolites in his sample.” Commonly called Dianabol or D-Bol, Methandienone is an anabolic steroid explicitly listed as prohibited by the UFC.

For athletes looking for an extra burst of muscle mass, strength, recovery, and aggression during their training camps, few options do more than anabolic steroids. Unfortunately for competitors such as Askhabov, though fortunately for opponents who could have felt these effects inside the octagon, they also are banned from use by anti-doping agencies and sports commissions around the world.

Askhabov’s suspension comes at a disappointing stage in his career both for him and his fans alike. After debuting with a loss to Jamall Emmers knocked him off track slightly. A relentless brawler when he fights, many believed Askhabov was just scratching the surface of what he’d be able to accomplish at 145 pounds. But with this lengthy ban hanging over his head, even if they still consider him one of the division’s hidden gems moving forward after 24 months away from competition it’s going to be hard for them to sustain that optimism.

With this news, the UFC-CSAD partnership takes on new importance. The anti-doping agency’s team of testers has done an admirable job of catching those who would bend the rules to gain a competitive advantage and this proves that they continue to be successful at it. But as with any investigation, sporting or not, there’s always more work to be done.

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What next for Askhabov? The Chechen fighter will be 31 years old upon completion of his 24-month banishment. However, fighters can recover from such setbacks, it is often difficult within the UFC competitive space though. After going through such an extended break from fighting it will certainly not be easy for Askhabov to gain back his momentum or win back fans’ hearts again.

The UFC has a strict no-tolerance policy when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs. This latest suspension only adds on to their never-ending list of warnings and is as clear as day to all the fighters under contract. The thought of banned substances might seem like a shortcut to success but the consequences of getting caught are far too high for anyone’s liking.

Khusein Askhabov’s 24-month suspension should be a cautionary story that all fighters must take note of. It shows that the chase for glory in the Octagon cannot be achieved if rules are broken along the way. While Askhabov's case is disheartening for fans, it also serves as evidence that the anti-doping program being enforced isn’t just for show.