Just before the Affliction:Banned weigh-ins on Friday, it was announced that Aleksander Emelianenko was not granted a license by the California State Athletic Commission. Veteran Gary Goodridge ended up taking Aleksander’s place in the bout against Paul Buentello. Rumors swirled around Orange County all weekend that this was due to a medical condition, possibly Hepatitis B. MMA News.com is reporting that this is indeed the case:

The tests were positive for Hepatitis B which resulted in the CSAC cancelling the fight. Hep B is the result of transmission from exposure to infectious blood or body fluids containing blood. Possible forms of transmission include (but are not limited to) unprotected sexual contact, blood transfusions, re-use of contaminated needles & syringes, and vertical transmission from mother to child during childbirth.

A positive Hepatitis B test is no laughing matter and this could spell the end of Aleks’ fighting career as many of the people close to the situation pointed out. I can’t imagine many fighters willing to step up to fight Aleks with the possibility of catching the disease. He most definitely will not fight in the United States again and it will be interesting to see if this positive test results in organizations from all over the world black listing the brother of heavyweight king, Fedor Emelianenko.

FightTicker.com offers this informative bit about Hepatitis B from the CDC website:

Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the hepatitis B virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis B is usually spread when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the hepatitis B virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact with an infected person or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment. Hepatitis B can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby at birth.

Hepatitis B can be either acute or chronic. Acute hepatitis B virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the hepatitis B virus. Acute infection can — but does not always — lead to chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the hepatitis B virus remains in a person’s body. Chronic hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, and even death.

Our Japanese fight culture expert Lyman Hoyt suggests that despite the seriousness of the diagnosis that Aleks could still find opportunities to fight in Japan or other poorly regulated jurisdictions. He recalls that Tommy Morrison found not only promoters willing to put on his fights, but opponents willing to take them, following his HIV positive diagnosis. More recently, Morrison made his “MMA” debut against John Stover on an Indian reservation. Earlier this year Morrison fought on the undercard of a JC Chavez Jr. fight in Leon, Mexico. While Aleks isn’t the box office draw that his brother is, should he want to continue his career he’d be able to find a place to fight somewhere.

Aleks Emelianenko removed due to positive Hep B test @ MMA News.com