For the record, that crap is well deserved.
Just today, the NSAC suspended interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon “Bones” Jones, for one year (retroactive to July 6) for a failed 19 June drug test.
Jones if you recall, was yanked from the UFC 200 card--the biggest in the promotion’s history--on 6 July, hence four months already having been served. The video of UFC President Dana White telling current LHW Champion Daniel Cormier that Jones failed his test turned hardcore Jones fans into apologists faster than Michael Bisping ducks a challenge.
Jones was popped after taking tadalafil, the main ingredient found in erectile dysfunction pills. Acquiring the pills from his teammate at Jackson MMA Eric Blasich, Jones assumed the pills were safe, as Cialis was not on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of banned substances a fighter can use. Tadalafil is banned as a result of allowing increased blood flow to certain areas of the body. Jones also tested positive for two other estrogen-blocking agents (clomiphine and letrozole), which provided elevated testosterone levels.
During his rise up the UFC ranks Jones was portrayed as the next poster-child for the promotion, even starring in Bud Light commercials with White, one of which aired during a Super Bowl. Jones became the youngest UFC champion in history on March 11, 2011, after winning the LHW title from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. The title was then defended against some of the biggest names in the history of mixed martial arts...names like “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort, “Suga” Rashad Evans, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
However, Jones lost the title in the eyes of many to Alexander Gustavson at UFC 165, in September of 2013. The Swede exposed every hole in Jones’ technique, but was unable to dethrone the champion after a highly controversial split decision. The promotion called for a rematch to take place in April of 2014, but Jones’ refused the fight. Of course he did...who wants to get exposed a second time, and lose their massive paycheck for being the champion?!
It was not the first time Jones would back out of a high-profile fight after winning the belt. Scheduled to face Dan Henderson at UFC 151, the challenger had to drop out of the fight with a training injury. As a last-minute replacement, Chael Sonnen was offered to take Henderson’s spot on the card, with Jones’ title not be put on the line. Jones cited difficulty in preparing for Sonnen on three days notice, and dropped the fight. To date, UFC 151 has been the only card in the promotion’s history to be outright cancelled.
Jones used to be the fighter you had to see. If you put down your $50.00 to purchase a UFC pay-per-view, chances are that you would see him do something no one had in an octagon in many years, if ever. Now, Jones has become the fighter you tune in to hope you see lose. The arrogance has turned off many of his former supporters, and made it so you hope you are watching when he bottoms out. Jones tested positive for cocaine after the Cormier fight (technically the primary metabolite benzoylecgonine), then was involved in a hit-and-run with a pregnant woman a few months later, where he fled the scene on foot, and the rental car was found to have marijuana inside. Jones actually returned to the vehicle for a moment to collect some cash, then left a second time. The UFC stripped him of the title, but should have terminated his contract instead. Jones is never going to be the meal ticket he once was, and his reputation would take a serious hit on all fronts.
We assumed Jones would return to fight Cormier at UFC 197 back in April. However Cormier suffered a foot injury while training, and was replaced with Ovince Saint Preux. Jones regained a sliver of his title, by winning the interim championship with a unanimous decision. At least Cormier pulled out of fight with Jones with a legitimate injury, instead of shooting some needle into his arm or his ass.
The NSAC referred to Jones as “reckless” when handing out today’s suspension. For as calculated a fighter as Jones is, he sure seems to think he is the MMA equivalent of John Gotti...all roads go through him, and nothing can stick to him.
More than three-quarters of the UFC’s events take place in Las Vegas during the year. So if Jones’ is unable to fight in the promotion’s “home town” venue, why exactly is he still on the roster again?! Since Jones thinks he can play the part of Johnny Manziel now that the latter is unemployed, does that mean he’ll be showing up looking for a fight while in disguise?!
If Sonnen can be blacklisted from the UFC for running his mouth and failing drug tests for banned substances, what is in the fine print in Jones’ contract where he’s allowed to be actively paid? We know Bellator will not be able to match what Zuffa is paying Jones per fight, but Jones’ needs to restructure his budget, as the red-headed step brother is getting closer to being on his speed dial.
He’ll be another belt lighter very shortly when that call comes...and he won’t even have to throw a punch to lose it.
-JC24
UPDATE (09 Nov 2016) - Well, that didn't take very long now, did it?! Dana White stripped Jones of the title for a second time, even calling him the "...biggest screw up ever." Jones is the first UFC competitor to have been stripped of a championship twice.