Emotional Jon Jones can’t explain flagged drug test before UFC 200

By Case Keefer (contact)

Thursday, July 7, 2016 | 10:30 a.m.

Jon Jones apologized, denied and cried over a flagged anti-doping test that pulled him from the UFC 200 main event this morning at the MGM Grand.

He also ultimately avoided providing any answers. Information beyond the fact that a June 16 test revealed a possible doping violation was sparse in Jones’ first public comments.

“Supposedly, they found something in one of my samples that I don’t even know what it is,” Jones said in between tears. “I don’t even know how to pronounce it.”

Neither Jones nor two representatives from his team, manager Malki Kawa and publicist Denise White, would disclose what substance was found in Jones’ test. They did inform the media that they requested their right to have a B-sample from the collection tested immediately.

Kawa said he expected the results from the test being conducted in Salt Lake City before the end of the night. In the meantime, Jones planned to leave Las Vegas and begin going over everything he took in preparation to fight Daniel Cormier on Saturday night.

“He didn’t cheat at all,” Kawa said. “He didn’t do anything wrong, or he at least didn’t try to do anything wrong.”

At the beginning of the news conference, Jones indicated he had taken the same supplements he had throughout his career leading up to UFC 200. He later backtracked, and vaguely described incorporating something new.

“There’s a few things that have nothing to do with performance that I’ve tried,” Jones said.

A potential tainted supplement would not absolve Jones of guilt for the failed test. The United States Anti-Doping Agency, the UFC’s independent drug-policy administrator, stresses the dangers of supplements and implores athletes to check everything with them as part of their education process.

But Jones’ team seemed to hint that they had no reason to suspect anything he took was even questionable.

“Without saying too much more, I feel like by the time this is all said and done, it will be all right,” Kawa said.

USADA notified Jones of the failed test last night as he was preparing to work out and cut weight. He’s had limited contact with the UFC since, having only spoken with CEO Lorenzo Fertitta briefly.

Jones said he apologized to Fertitta profusely and assured him he would never cheat. Even if Jones didn’t knowingly break the rules, the UFC’s policy for a first doping violation is a two-year suspension.

“If I do have to sit out for two years, I will definitely be back,” Jones said. “I’m already thinking about the good that can happen. I’m optimistic. At the end of the day, I’m a fighter. Even though I may seem broken up up here, I’m not broken. I’m just really upset.”

After Jones made an opening statement and answered one question, he couldn’t contain his emotions and bolted from the stage. He returned after about five minutes but still had to pause before responding to questions, and at some points, he could barely muster any words.

Of all the incidents that have plagued his career — including a felony hit-and-run conviction, a positive cocaine test and a driving under the influence arrest — Jones described the UFC 200 situation as the hardest to handle.

“To this day, I’m still extremely against performance enhancers,” Jones said. “The whole thing sucks because being labeled as someone who would ever cheat just hurts me more than anything else ever in my career.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.