UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was told on Tuesday by the USADA (United States Anti Doping Agency) that he failed a drug test ahead of his championship win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 last month in Anaheim, California. UFC president Dana White confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday about the findings.

 

According to TMZ, which was first to report news of the failed test, Jones tested positive for the anabolic steroid Turinabol.

Jone Jones’ camp released an official statement:

We are all at a complete loss for words right now. Jon, his trainers, his nutritionists and his entire camp have worked tirelessly and meticulously the past 12 months to avoid this exact situation. We are having the samples tested again to determine the validity or source of contamination. Jon is crushed by this news and we are doing whatever we can as a team, to support him.

Upon hearing the news, Cormier briefly spoke to MMAFighting.com exclusively about the news:

“It’s hard to find words to describe how I’m feeling right now,” Cormier said. “I’m disappointed to hear the news. It’s very emotional.

“We as athletes are entitled to due process, and I will refrain from saying much more until I know exactly what happened.

“In my mind, on July 29, I competed and I lost. I thought Jon Jones was the better man that day. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t believe we are going through all of this again. We will see what happens next.

“Thank you to all my fans who have supported me during this dark time. I love you all very much.”

This is the third failed drug test of Jones’ rollercoaster career, all of which involved matches and potential matches with Daniel Cormier.

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Ahead of his UFC 182 victory over Daniel Cormier, Jones tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite. Because cocaine is not prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in out-of-competition testing, Jones faced no punitive action.

The UFC was forced to pull Jones from a scheduled headliner against Cormier just days before UFC 200 in July 2016, after he tested positive for anti-estrogenic agents. Jones later told the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that the failed test was the result of an unmarked sexual enhancement pill.

Jones, 30, served a one-year suspension for the failed test. Before that, the UFC stripped him of his title in 2015 after he was arrested on hit-and-run charges.

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