Dana White Will Not Risk Jon Jones Headlining A Card Again
After being handed a one year suspension by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) regarding a failed UFC 200 drug test, former longtime UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones was stripped by the promotion of his interim 205-pound title. Despite that, it’s likely that Jones will fight for the title upon his return given the scarcity of the division as well as his past accomplishments inside the Octagon, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be headlining an event.
In fact, UFC President Dana White said that he will not trust the former pound-for-pound king moving forward:
“I don’t trust Jon going forward,” White said, according to Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting. “”I would never take the risk of headlining a card with Jon Jones again.”
The failed drug test, which forced Jones to withdraw from his scheduled UFC 200 rematch with Daniel Cormier just days prior to the event, isn’t the first issue he’s had outside of the Octagon. After his first bout with Cormier in January 2015, it was made clear that he had tested positive for Cocaine metabolites. He was then arrested on hit-and-run charges in April 2015, forcing him out of a scheduled title fight with Anthony Johnson, and leading the promotion to strip him of his title.
Here’s to hoping Jones can once and for all fix his issues outside of the cage and return to the fight game.