Attorney: Independent USADA testing could absolve Jones
According to his legal team, Jon Jones - the UFC interim light heavyweight champion - will be in good shape when he meets with the United States Anti-Doping Agency on Oct. 31.
During an appearance on "The Luke Thomas Show" on SiriusXM, Jones' attorney, Howard Jacobs, provided an update on his client's appeal of a failed July drug test. That USADA violation removed Jones from the main event of UFC 200 just three days before the event, and left him temporarily - and currently - suspended from competition.
According to Jacobs, the USADA independently tested the supplements that Jones used, which he alleges contained banned substances not listed on the label. Jacobs said testers have confirmed the presence of those banned substances, which is good news for Jones, and would mean other supplements were tainted as well.
Jones' teammate, Yoel Romero, was involved in a similar USADA case last year. Romero was set for arbitration with the agency, before the sides agreed on a six-month suspension. Like Jones, Romero's supplements were confirmed to be tainted by an independent USADA test, which may have contributed to Romero avoiding the maximum two-year suspension.
Jacobs aims to have Jones stand before a three-person arbitration panel, a decision that will cost the fighter $55,000 in legal fees. The UFC will only cover the cost of a hearing in which a fighter stands before a lone arbiter.
Following the resolution of his USADA appeal, Jones could still face additional sanctions when he meets with the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Nov. 10.
- With h/t to Reddit MMA