Jon Jones’ positive test results have been confirmed.
The MMA world was rocked when, early on Thursday, news emerged from Las Vegas that the interim UFC light heavyweight champion had been flagged by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for a potential violation, with a banned substance or substances showing up from a test conducted on June 16.
Jones asked for the B sample to be tested by the same Utah lab in an attempt to explain the result as an anomaly.
“For the B sample to not be the same, especially when there’s two different agents I think, it would be like hitting the lottery for that to come up negative,” UFC president Dana White said in the wake of the news.
And his prediction has proven true as USADA spokesman Ryan Madden revealed on Friday night that Jones’ B sample was found to contain the same banned substance or substances of the original.
“I can confirm that Mr. Jones’ B sample results have been reported by the laboratory, and that the results confirm the findings of the A sample,” Madden said in a statement.
Dana White claimed that ‘Bones’ had tested positive for two banned agents but the substances in question were not revealed by USADA, who insists that it is down to the fighter and his team to disclose that information.
Jones, who has been no stranger to controversy in his career, was scheduled to meet long-time rival Daniel Cormier in a title unification bout in the main event of UFC 200 but he has since been replaced by former middleweight champion Anderson Silva in a non-title fight against Cormier.
Jones could be looking at a two-year suspension by USADA, as well as any disciplinary proceedings from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Following the testing of the B sample, Jones is still allowed an appeal process by USADA.
