Voievodkin earned a shot at the big show last year, care of a rear-naked choke submission of the previously undefeated Bailey Schoenfelder on week seven of the series. However, on Thursday, the UFC, in conjunction with CSAD (Combat Sports Anti-Doping), who oversee the promotion’s Anti-Doping program, announced that Voievodkin had been handed a two-year suspension after failing a drug test.

The Ukrainian, whose own record sits at 7-0, tested positive for meldonium. If the name rings a bell, it’s because the drug was at the heart of a wide-ranging doping scandal that hit the Russian Olympic team, which also ensnared professional athletes from Russia and neighboring countries. Including tennis star Maria Sharipova.

In 2022, the drug constituted 14 of 57 banned substance cases among Russian athletes – according to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency. Meldonium is not used in North America, but is prescribed in Russia, where it was developed, to treat coronary heart disease by increasing blood flow.

It doesn’t take a chemist to recognize the advantages increased blood flow might give a professional athlete. And, shockingly, it seems few professional athletes in the prime of their careers actually suffer from coronary heart disease.

That would include Voievodkin, who is just 24. According to CSAD, Voievodkin tested positive for the drug in an out of competition sample collected from him on October 17, 2024, in Vilnius, Lithuania. There were no mitigating circumstances, meaning the full 24-month suspension for the drug applies, backdated to that date. “The evidence in this case reflected that sometime after Voivodkin competed in his Dana White Contender Series event in September of 2024, where he was awarded a UFC contract, he used Meldonium after he was onboarded into the UFC’S Anti-Doping Program’s (UFC ADP’s) Registered Testing Pool,” Thursday’s press release reads.

Per an additional report by MMA Fighting, Voievodkin has been cut by the UFC.

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The returning fighter in question, Kevin Vallejos, fell short against Jean Silva on the show. Silva, however, has made a quick rise in the promotion, becoming the first man to stop Charles Jourdain, then turning around on all of two weeks’ notice to defeat Drew Dober up a weight class.

Suddenly, Vallejos, who has won twice since that loss to Silva a year ago, looks more than ready for a second chance. As for the heavyweights in question, they include undefeated CFFC champ Bailey Schoenfelder, who will be taking on Danylo Voievodkin.

Where to Watch DWCS Season 8, Week 7

As always, this week’s Contender Series installment takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV and streams on ESPN+ in the U.S., and SportsNet/UFC Fight Pass in Canada. The action gets underway at 8PM ET, 5PM PT. Full results can be found below.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 7 Results

Heavyweight: Danylo Voievodkin def. Bailey Schoenfelder via R1 SUB (RNC), 1:13
Welterweight: Daniel Frunza def. Vadym Kutsyi via R2 TKO, 3:30
Light Heavyweight: Kevin Christian def. Francesco Mazzeo via R2 SUB(Triangle), 4:17
Featherweight: Kevin Vallejos def. Cam Teague via R1 TKO, 2:23
Women’s Strawweight: Alexia Thainara def. Rose Conceição via Unanimous Decision (30-27×3)

Contract Winners:

• Alexia Thainara
• Kevin Vallejos
• Kevin Christian
• Daniel Frunza
• Danylo Voievodkin

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Undefeated light heavyweight Francesco Mazzeo is on his third opponent for DWCS, and hopefully this one sticks. The Cage Warriors alum has just four pro fights, but he’s won all four, and 205 is another division in need of fresh blood.

Heavyweight, Bailey Schoenfelder (5-0) vs. Danylo Voievodkin (6-0)

Notable Notes

• Schoenfelder is the current CFFC heavyweight champion.
• Schoenfelder is 2-0 under the Bellator banner.
• Voievodkin has never fought past three minutes.
• The best win Voievodkin has is against a 12-53 opponent.
• Schoenfelder has a win over DWCS alum Greg Velasco
• Both have finished all their fights; combined nine wins by KO/TKO and two wins by submission.

Prediction: Voievodkin is impossible to get a good read on because of what’s available in terms of footage— it’s all quick fights. Not only quick fights but he’s fighting bottom-of-the-barrel “fighters.” It seems that he’s absolutely getting brought into this fight to put Schoenfelder over.

I like Schoenfelder a lot. He needs work but has real potential. Early on it was noticable that his striking was sloppy. When he would throw more than one punch his hands would get sloppy. Lately, in the brief striking exchanges, his hands look much better. I also like that he throws a good jab and can land his elbows and knees in the clinch.

What he does best is get the takedown and smash with heavy ground and pound. That’s his path to victory in this fight. With so much unknown about Voievodkin he may surprise us. Schoenfelder is proven though with a win over Greg Velasco. I have Schoenfelder by TKO in round one and I’m 99% confident.

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