In mixed martial arts history, many consider Jon Jones one of the greatest talents ever seen. Jones became the UFC light heavyweight champion in 2011, at age 23. This also made him the youngest title holder in the promotion’s history! Yet, controversies outside the cage have frequently overshadowed his extraordinary accomplishments within it.

Jones has tested positive for banned substances multiple times in his career. The most recent incident occurred due to trace amounts of a previously detected substance ahead of UFC 232. But now, UFC chief business officer, Hunter Campbell has revealed that going forward, athletes like Jones will be monitored under new testing protocols. And according to his statements, there is no need for Jones to worry about getting suspended for his prior offenses!

NAC will subject Jon Jones and other UFC athletes to new testing protocols

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) has implemented new drug testing policies differentiating between “atypical” and “adverse” results. The NAC set new thresholds for previously prohibited substances, including SARMs and GW1516 among others. 

Jeff Mullen, the NAC executive director, considers any positive test below the proposed threshold as atypical. Hence, it will require further investigation, which may include reviewing the fighter’s history and additional testing. The UFC’s goal of ensuring fighters aren’t penalized for ‘non-performance enhancing/unintentional use aligns with the new protocols.

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UFC’s Hunter Campbell was also present at the meeting for the decision. Before the voting occurred, he made a statement to advocate for the new testing thresholds for fighters. He stated, “What we’ve seen through the years is there is a certain threshold you’re far more likely to see in contamination rather than intentional use.”

Campbell highlighted the UFC’s commitment to preventing unintentional contamination and ensuring a level playing field for athletes. He cited the situation with Jon Jones and the recurring presence of the M3 metabolite as a reason for evolving drug testing standards. He stated, “I believe, on occasion, Jon Jones still tests positive for the M3 metabolite, in terms of its residual form”.

Consequently, Campbell urged the commission to adopt thresholds that allow athletes to compete when there is no intentional use and no performance-enhancing advantage. To ensure fairness and transparency, the emphasis is on avoiding the risk of compromising major events when athletes test positive for residual amounts of substances, as exemplified by Jones and his pre-UFC 232 challenges.

Jones is currently recovering from an injury that sidelined him from his title defense at UFC 295. However, a former UFC heavyweight champion has now revealed why the fight between him and Jones never materialized!

Francis Ngannou reveals the reason behind Jones’s fight not taking place

Francis Ngannou in a recent interview revealed he had desired to face Jon Jones during their UFC tenure. However, Ngannou places blame on the UFC for the fight not happening, emphasizing that he pushed for it after defeating Jairzinho Rozenstruik. During Jones’ hiatus due to a contract dispute, Ngannou rose to the top of the heavyweight division, winning the title with a knockout over Stipe Miocic.

Ngannou now understands that the UFC manipulated the situation for public engagement. He revealed, “They would use it to paint out the narrative for both sides, if it’s me, it’s like, ‘Oh, I’m not doing the fight.’ If it’s Jon Jones, so many times they have told me Jon Jones doesn’t want to do that fight.” While Ngannou still desires the matchup, the current hurdle is his affiliation with the PFL.

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In conclusion, the NAC’s implementation of new drug testing thresholds aligns with the UFC’s commitment to fairness and transparency. In other news, Francis Ngannou’s comments indicate that the organization was responsible for the fight between the two stars never occurring during Ngannou’s UFC tenure.

Do you think the new direction for athlete testing protocols is the right move for the UFC? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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