Dec 24th, 2018

Dec 24th, 2018

A positive drug test for tainted superstar Jon Jones has forced the blockbuster UFC 232 card to be relocated from Las Vegas to California on six days' notice.

In a staggering turn of events, Jones tested positive to a miniscule amount of Turinabol earlier this month. It is the same drug that Jones was sanctioned over after testing positive in July last year, copping a 15-month ban.

In a statement, USADA said that the test was consistent with a residual amount of the drug remaining in Jones' system. However, the NEvada State Athletic Commission refused to let Jones fight after the findings.

That left his light-heavyweight title fight against Alexander Gustafsson in limbo, until the UFC took the shock decision to move the UFC 232 card to California; with the California State Athletic Commission saying that it would allow the bout to proceed.

It appears that every other fighter on the card found out about the state change via social media. That includes Australian featherweight Megan Anderson, who is fighting Cat Zingano on the card. Thousands of fans will also be put out by the news.

The UFC's head of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky said that Jones had not breached any anti-doping protocols.

“He’s been cleared to fight in terms of the USADA program. … USADA fully analysed it internally. They reached out to outside experts from around the world. They reached out to another sports league that has seen the same issue,” he said.

“And all of them, independent of us, determined that this was not a re-ingestion of the substance and this very, very small amount that was occurring and still showing up, according to these expects from around the world, did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit.

“Not much is known about this long-term metabolite. The parent compound is not approved for human use anywhere in the world … but what both USADA and other entities are seeing is that a recurrence, or potential ‘pulsing,’ where you have multiple negative tests and then a positive one for a very low amount – they’re seeing that quite commonly over time. And no one knows how long this could last – it could potentially last forever (in Jones’ system).”

Jon Jones. (AP)

UFC president Dana White also backed Jones, despite having previously been let down by Jones with a positive test just days before the historic UFC 200 event - also in Las Vegas.

“I haven’t heard anything negative about Jon Jones leading up to this fight – nothing,” White said.

“He was willing to jump on a plane yesterday and go take a drug test – like, immediately. If I want to plan a PR for Jon Jones in two months, try pulling that together. It’s tough to get Jon Jones. He’s willing to do anything. So, I believe that Jon Jones is clean. He’s in fight shape, and I believe that he’s been doing the right thing.”

Jones' long-time foe Daniel Cormier was incensed by the findings.

Jones clapped back at Cormier on Instagram, writing: "I could slap your wife on the a-- and you could literally do nothing about it. You're my bitch DC, that will never change.. funny how you're giving me two posts but said nothing when I asked you to come get your belt back."

Cormier replied: "You couldn't do s--- you steroid abusing Junkie! I swear I would never touch your wife's flat a-- lol. And I didn't respond I'm not helping you sell your bum a-- fight you drug abusing steroid cheat. F--- you!"

Jones twice beat Daniel Cormier at light-heavyweight, including at UFC 214 to reclaim the title. Yet that fight was changed to a no-contest after Jones tested positive.

Jones has twice been stripped of the LHW title: over the positive drug test, and over a 2015 hit-and-run incident involving a pregnant woman.