When Hamdy Abelwahab steps inside the UFC octagon against Jamal Pogues in Saudi Arabia, it will be for the first time in 916 days.
The return of the UFC’s first Egyptian fighter is set to be another debut of sorts in the promotion. Abdelwahab's debut victory over Don'Tale Mayes in July 2022 was overturned because of a failed drugs test. He was also hit with two consecutive suspensions, totalling two-and-a-half years.
Abdelwahab has been dealing with the fallout since, patiently plotting his path back to the UFC. On the undercard of UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Imavov on Saturday night, he finally gets a second chance.
“Everybody around me was surprised by the decision,” the Egyptian told The National from his home in New York City. “It was hard to believe in the beginning but then we had to deal with it.
“Honestly, I went through a lot – to the point that I thought I might be done [with MMA] and just give up, look for something else.
“But in the end my decision was not to quit. Whatever happened, happened. It was a mistake and not on purpose.”
His initial two-year ban was enforced in 2022 after his sample tested positive for anabolic agent Metenolone. The second, announced just as Abdelwahab was about to return in 2024, came after he showed elevated levels of testosterone.
While the 31-year-old recognises that banned substances have been present in his samples, he maintains that he has never intentionally tried to enhance his performance.
In its ruling in 2024, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) confirmed that his failed testosterone test was caused by over-the-counter supplements after he strayed from the UFC’s list of certified products.
“They did investigations and made sure what was in my body was there by mistake but they still gave me the hard decision. I have to accept it and deal with it,” he explains.
“I didn’t give up. I just kept on going. I kept training while I was waiting, every chance I got. Now we are here, ready to come back and step one more time in a cage. I believe this time I will be stronger than ever.”
Abdelwahab’s suspension in 2022 curtailed a burgeoning professional MMA career that was less than a year old.
Initially proving his mettle with five straight knockouts – two in a bare knuckle MMA promotion – Abdelwahab caught the attention of the UFC, which felt it had identified an Arab heavyweight with significant promise.
“When I got the offer from the UFC I also had a good contract [offer] for more money from somewhere else,” Abdelwahab says. “But I decided to be in the UFC to look for the legacy and put my country on the map.
“The UFC is the biggest cage and stage in the world and when they pick someone it is because they think they can be champion one day.”
Abdelwahab has been accustomed to winning for much of his sporting life. As a precocious Greco Roman wrestler, he represented Egypt on the international stage, winning a silver medal at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore, and finished 10th at the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“When you have a good wrestling background, you have an extra gun in the fight,” Abdelwahab says. “What I learned from being in the Olympics, the World Championships – is to compete on the big stage.
“I was not that nervous to step into the UFC because I've been through this before. I competed on a huge stage and in huge competitions with many people watching.”
In Riyadh, Abdelwahab faces American Pogues (11-4-0) and the Egyptian is promising fireworks.
“We're very hungry,” says Abdelwahab, “All my other pro fights were in the States, this will be my first in the Middle East.
“I expect a really good warm welcome. There are a lot of Egyptians in Saudi Arabia and a good relationship between the people. I expect to have a lot of brothers there supporting me.
“He [Pogues] will try to take my neck off but if we're talking about the fight, I will win. This is the only thing I can say.”
While some athletes prefer to distance themselves from their sport during a suspension, Abdelwahab voraciously consumed MMA – watching fights and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of potential opponents.
“I was using that time to study everyone in the division because I knew there was going to be a time for me to come back and fight most of them.
“I was watching every day – counting down hour by hour [to the end of his ban].”
Despite already making history as the first Egyptian fighter in the UFC, Abdelwehab insists he won’t be happy until he has made a major impact on the heavyweight division.
“Would the UFC let me fight Jon Jones?” Abdelwahab smiles. “I don't have any specific names [to fight next]. If I'm good, with no injuries, I will ask for a fight every month. I don't care. I will fight.
“I want to catch up on these two years and I want to end up this year in the top 10 heavyweights.”
