When Jon Jones is Involved, You Know Something is Going to Go Wrong… Now the UFC Have Moved UFC 232 from Las Vegas to California After the NSAC Refused to Licence Jones After an Abnormality Was Found in One of His Tests…
He’s really just the gift that keeps on giving. Jon Jones has thrown the UFC into Chaos yet again after a trace amount of turinabol found in his system. The Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to licence him for his fight next weekend because they wanted time to investigate.
However, USADA – the UFC’s anti-doping partner – have said that it is just a trace remnant from his failed test back in 2017, so they won’t be punishing him for it. Needless to say, not everybody is happy about this, not least Daniel Cormier who openly despises Jones.
After learning that the fight will go ahead – in Los Angeles, California, instead of Las Vegas, Nevada – the current light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion took to social media to slam everybody involved. Check it out below.
He tested positive again!
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 23, 2018
Scandalous
This is crazy news, because of who it involves. Jones has tested positive in the past and allegedly once hid under a cage at Jackson-Wink in Albuquerque to avoid being tested. Now, no matter what happens in his fight against Alexander Gustafsson on Saturday night, the result is going to be tarnished. Daniel Cormier slammed the UFC, stating:
“USADA= joke.
Jeff Novitzky= joke.
Andy Foster= joke.
A pinch of turinabol in an Olympic size pool from 2017 that stays in ur system for 18 months = joke.
NSAC you’re cool.”
Per California commission director Andy Foster, Jon Jones flew on a private plane to California yesterday to submit a drug test, because Foster and the CSAC wanted that as part of its licensing requirement for this Saturday. Results were expedited, Jones passed.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 24, 2018
USADA Statement
USADA released a statement on social media explaining what has happened and why they’re allowing the fight to go ahead. The most important part of it is below:
“USADA has also concluded that consistent with the prior finding by the independent arbitrator, at these extremely low levels, Jones obtained no performance enhancement from this level. The level reported was at approximately 60 pg/mL and there was no parent drug or other metabolites of the drug in his sample. As a result of these findings, USADA has determined that Mr. Jones is not facing a violation per the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
As always, sanctioning bodies for each hosting state have jurisdiction over fighter participation and — taking all facts into account— are able to come to their own conclusions under their rules. We are confident after consideration of all the evidence and based on science that the resolution of this result under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy is consistent with USADA’s mandate and in the interests of justice.”
Smh….. pic.twitter.com/7ANsAIL0jf
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 24, 2018
Dangerous Move
The UFC is setting a dangerous precedent here. By not accepting the judgment of one commission and simply jumping ship to another, they’re blatantly putting money above integrity. Spare a thought for Alexander Gustafsson and his fanbase too.
At the time of writing, ‘The Mauler’ was on a four-hour helicopter trip around the Grand Canyon. He probably still doesn’t know that this has happened and that he’s now fighting in California instead of Nevada. You can bet that he won’t be impressed. Also, think of the Swedish fans that will be flying over for the event. Oh, wait no. The UFC didn’t think about them at all.
