Jon Jones Failed USADA Test, Won’t Fight Daniel Cormier

The MMA world was left in shock and disbelief last night after the UFC announced that Jon Jones failed an out-of-competition drug test.

UFC 200 seemed almost too perfect. Not a single injury had taken a fighter off the card, and with only three days before the fights it looked like MMA fans would be treated to the biggest UFC event in history. That was until US gambling news came out that Jon Jones failed a USADA drug test. It should be noted that the substance Jones tested positive for has not been revealed, but all signs are pointing towards some type of performance enhancing drug.

This could not come at a worse time for Jon Jones. He has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons since 2012. His first controversy occurred in May of that year when Jones crashed his Bentley into a tree and received a DUI. In early 2015, he tested positive for cocaine and was suspended by the UFC. Jones’ worst offense came just four months later after he collided with another car in the early hours of the morning and fled the scene. He broke a pregnant woman’s arm in the crash.

Jones obviously did not take his arch-rivals advice. “Jon Jones get your shit together I’m waiting for ya!” Daniel Cormier yelled into the microphone after beating Anthony Johnson to win the belt Jones was stripped from. DC has been vocal in his disapproval of Jones’ behavior over the years.

“There’s nothing that’s going to fix this guy,” Cormier told Colin Cowherd in an interview. “Nothing’s going to change him. If you want you can buy into the story that Jones has changed but he’ll just let you down again. That’s who he is at his core. Jon Jones will mess up again.”

The Light-Heavyweight Division if Left in Limbo.

With Jon Jones now likely facing a long suspension, Daniel Cormier is the king of light-heavyweight. His only loss came to Jones in 2015, and he has since defeated two top contenders in Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson.

UFC president Dana White has insinuated that DC may still fight at UFC 200, but an opponent has not been established. Finding someone to fight the champion on just 2 days notice will not be an easy task, but a few fighters have thrown their name into the hat.

Michael Bisping offered to take the fight, tweeting, “2 months, 2 weeks, 2 days….. Hmmm middle vs light heavy???? I stand by my words. I’d do it!” Bisping is coming off an incredible first round knockout over Luke Rockhold this past June. A number of other fighters including Gegard Mousasi, Ilir Latifi, and Tom Lawlor have offered to take the fight as well.

What’s Next For Jon Jones?

The results of USADA’s test will determine exactly what happens to Jones. Punishments for performance enhancing drugs have increased significantly over the past couple of years, with a two year suspension for most PED’s.

If in fact Jon tested positive for some type of steroid, he will be forced to sit out for at least a year. He has only fought once in the past 18 months, and the majority of his sponsors parted way with him after his hit and run incident. Unless Jones’ has made some smart financial decisions over the past few years, he could be facing some hard times.

If it turns out Jon Jones failed drug test is actually for something small, such as a BJ Penn situation, he may be back in the octagon in 6 months. In that case he will most likely be matched up with Cormier again. DC isn’t too optimistic though, and has stated he wants to put the Jon Jones chapter of his life behind him, telling the press, “This chapter of my life has been dragging on and it’s making me ugly. I need to move on.”

It’s a sad day in MMA. The historic UFC 200 card now feels incomplete, but many fans are still likely to tune in. Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Hunt has been bumped to the main event, and two title fights are still taking place on the main card. It remains to be seen whether Daniel Cormier will still compete, but for now that seems unlikely.

What did you think of the news that Jon Jones failed his drug test? Will we ever see him in the octagon again? Leave your comments below, and make sure to check out GamingZion’s list of online sportsbooks in the US to find the best websites for betting on UFC 200!