After receiving a relatively light sentence for his second doping infraction in two years, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones says it’s “comeback season.”
Jon Jones caught yet another lucky break on Wednesday, receiving what amounts to a slap on the wrist for his second doping infraction in the UFC. Stemming from a positive test prior to UFC 214, Jones was looking at a possible four year ban from MMA. Instead, USADA inexplicably shaved thirty months off the former light heavyweight champion’s possible sentence — prior to the case going before an independent arbitrator. That gift horse was not up for review or challenge by said arbitrator. Instead, Jones was looking at a maximum sentence of 18 months after his positive test for a metabolite of DHCMT, commonly known as Turinabol.
An independent arbitrator instead handed him a fifteen month suspension — retroactive to July 28, 2017, the date of his positive test. That makes Jones eligible to return next month.
In a statement via Instagram following the announcement of the suspension, Jones said that he was chasing greatness, and that “the path to reclaiming my throne is now officially open. Comeback Season begins now.” You can read the full statement below.
Daniel Cormier, who holds the UFC’s light heavyweight and heavyweight titles currently, had his own reaction to the news.
