Report: CSAC Ordered ‘Surprise’ Drug Test For Jon Jones

The MMA world is absolutely abuzz with the bombshell that Jon Jones had been flagged for an ‘atypical finding’ involving steroid turinabol in a pre-fight USADA drug test.

The controversial “Bones” was set to make his latest MMA return against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 next Saturday night. The card will move ahead with Jones somehow, with the pay-per-view being moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. But it wasn’t without a ‘surprise’ drug test for Jones from the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

ESPN’s Ariel Helwani revealed that CSAC executive director Andy Foster found out about the UFC’s desire to move UFC 232 to Los Angeles on Friday night. When he did, he ordered Jones to take a surprise drug test. He did, passed, and is already licensed in the state per his recent hearing:

CSAC head Andy Foster tells me he was informed by the UFC of their desire to move the card Friday night. Once that happened, he collected all the data and ordered a surprise urine test for Jon Jones. He told me Jones passed that test. Jones is already licensed in California.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 24, 2018

Foster then claimed the turinabol metabolites left in Jones’ system were ‘long-term’ and not based on new use. A frequent supporter of Jones and hater of USADA and their practices, Foster says “Bones” is a clean fighter:

Foster stressed the metabolites were “long term” and there were no new injections based on the test results he got. He believes Jones is a clean fighter and feels comfortable going ahead with the fight.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 24, 2018

There are many, many layers to this saga.

First, champion and Jones rival Daniel Cormier released a reaction blasting all of the involved parties.

The entire situation was then broken down in great detail due to a statement from the NSAC and explanations from Dana White and Jeff Novitzky.

Now, we learn that the CSAC tested Jones and that he passed, which enables him to fight Gustafsson on December 29. We’ve not quite seen a situation like this where a fighter is clearly flagged but then still allowed to fight when a pay-per-view card is moved. We’ve definitely never seen a fighter licensed in one state after another refused to do so less than a week before the fight was scheduled to happen.

Topping it off, many fighters competing at UFC 232 claimed they found out about the last-minute change-up on social media.

If you’re confused, well, you are not alone. The show will still go on for now, but the constant and disturbing controversy involving Jones and performance-enhancing drugs remains.