Jon Jones, perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, will make his return in March this year. The former UFC light heavyweight champ is going to take on Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 285. However, it is not just any other fight, this will mark his heavyweight debut. The fight will also decide the next heavyweight champ after Francis Ngannou left the promotion in December 2022.
While fan excitement is at an all-time high, Jones has also received a personal boost ahead of the bout. Jones took to Instagram and shared something very interesting. UFC’s drug testing partner, USADA, has made some significant changes to its drug testing criteria. Previously even 1 picogram of any banned substance would have resulted in a USADA suspension.
However, that is not the case at present. For example, Stephanie Egger had a positive drug test in December 2020. She reportedly had 27 picograms of M3 metabolite present in her sample. However, USADA now allows up to 100 picograms of any prohibited substance in a sample.
As a result, Stephanie did not face any suspension from the UFC. It is exactly why Jon’s UFC 232 fight went ahead despite Jon’s pulsing. Jones has pointed it out in his latest Instagram story.
Jon wrote, “No asterisk next to wins, no advantages over anyone, just pure Hardwork! I’m over here smiling ear to ear today, I feel set free!.” So what are the incidents that Jon Jones is hinting toward? Let’s find out.
How many times has Jon Jones tested positive for PEDs?
Jon Jones has had his fair share of trouble with the USADA. From cocaine to turinabol steroid, Jonny Bones has tested positive for a number of substances. The 35-year-old had to pay a $25,000 fine for having cocaine in his sample. Fortunately for him, there was no further punishment for it in 2014, as it does not fall into USADA’s list of prohibited substances.
However, in 2016, Jon Jones was preparing to take on Daniel Cormier at UFC 200. They were bitter rivals and their fight was going to headline the marquee UFC event. However, fans were robbed of that fight after Jon tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole. However, the quantity of the banned substances present in his sample is yet unknown. However, if Jon’s Instagram is anything to go by, it was under 100 picograms.
Jones served a 1-year suspension after the incident and fought Daniel Cormier in 2017. Although Jon TKO’ed Cormier, the result was ultimately overturned and declared as a no-contest due to Jon Jones’ positive urine test for turinabol steroid.
Jon was infamously banned for 4-years afterward. However, the suspension was decreased to 15 months after an arbitration. However, similar to the last case, the quantity of the substance in his sample was not revealed.
So ahead of his big heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, Jon feels like a relieved man. The change in USADA science and regulations may mean that Jones’ positive drug test would not count by today’s standards. Jon also eliminates any possibility of controversies if he beats Gane in March. Nobody can point toward any of his positive drug tests and claim that he has any unfair advantage.
