Jon Jones has vehemently denied ever being addicted to cocaine.
Arguably the greatest fighter to ever grace an Octagon tested positive for cocaine metabolites in a drugs test before his successful title defence against Daniel Cormier at UFC 183. However, despite being sent to rehab over the issue, Jones firmly denied ever being dependent on the drug, speaking to MMA Fighting.
“I had no right to be doing cocaine, but they had no right to be testing me for street drugs and then putting it out to the public. I hear about the cocaine more than anything else I’ve ever done in my career. So, they definitely set me back huge.”
Jones admitted he tried cocaine once but claimed he didn’t enjoy it. He admitted that his reputation as a party animal rings true, but the only substances he used in that stage of his life were alcohol and marijuana.
“Let’s just say I haven’t forgot about it. It’s crazy with the whole cocaine thing. Ariel, I’ll look you dead in your eyes. I don’t like coke. I’m not a coke guy. I smoked marijuana quite frequently. And people who know me know that about me. I love to drink. I can honestly say I partied with the best of them.”
“But cocaine, you know, I tried cocaine one night and the athletic commission is there the next day. It was just, like, how in the world did this just go down? How did it happen this way? So now people like to paint me as this coke head, and my haters would love for me to be a coke head, but far from it.”
Jones then made an odd revelation, claiming he was addicted to marijuana, but he explained that he is no longer addicted to weed.
“I would never be able to accomplish the things I have with cocaine. I was addicted to marijuana. And because you can do so much while being a marijuana addict, it’s hard to admit that you’re an addict. But I was, and now I’m not, and I feel set free, and I’m just so grateful for everything that has happened to me, because it’s allowed me to see this and be more clear.”
If Jones’ previous performances inside the cage had been inhibited because of his weed addiction, it’s a scary prospect to think how good he will be in his next fight while completely sober.
