UFC’S JON JONES TESTS POSITIVE FOR STEROIDS

Light heavyweight champion Jon

Jones has failed a drug test for steroids, a UFC official with knowledge of the situation told MMAjunkie. The UFC later announced that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency had notified Jones of a potential violation, noting it came from an in-competition sample after weigh-ins for his bout against Daniel Cormier at UFC 214, where he recaptured the belt via third-round knockout last month. According to ESPN’s

Brett Okamoto, Jones issued a statement through his manager: “We are all at a complete loss for words right now. Jon, his trainers, his nutritionists and his entire camp have worked tirelessly and meticulously the past 12 months to avoid this exact situation. We are having the samples tested again to determine the validity or source of contamination. Jon is crushed by this news and we are doing whatever we can as a team, to support him.” Javier Men

dez, Cormier’s coach, text-messaged a response to USA TODAY Sports’ A.J. Perez: “Why would he cheat again?” Jones is provisionally suspended by USADA and faces a potential four-year ban for the failed test, which comes 11 months after he was flagged for an estrogen blocker before a title unifier against Cormier at UFC 200. He was removed from the fight and received a one-year ban. USADA will conduct results management for Jones. The California State Athletic Commission, which oversaw the pay-per-view event, is working with USADA and “will take any appropriate actions necessary after a thorough review of the situation.” According to the UFC official, Jones tested positive for turinabol, an anabolic agent famously linked to a doping scandal involving athletes from East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s. TMZ was first to report the news of the test. — Steven Marrocco