Gustafsson and Jones

By FCF Staff

Following the news that Jon Jones has tested positive again for a trace amount of a steroid metabolite, Alexander Gustafsson’s manager has referred to the situation as an “absolute mess”.

Earlier this week it was reported that a test Jones was administered by VADA, in connection to his UFC 232 bout with Gustafsson, has tested positive for a trace amount of a steroid metabolite. The same metabolite that resulted in Jones being suspended 15 months, and ultimately led to UFC 232 being moved from Las Vegas to Inglewood. 

After Jones stopped Gustafsson at UFC 232, tests that were administered to the champion by USADA and the California Commission were negative for the metabolite. Jones called Gustafsson out via social media after those results were announced.

Since the results of Jones’ VADA test were reported, however, Gustafsson’s manager Nima Safapour, issued this statement to MMA Fighting:

“The inconclusive and inconsistent results that are repeatedly occurring with Jon Jones, at the very least, should compel our industry to have a greater, deeper, and more impartial discussion about the legitimacy of Jon’s defense. Jon has gone out publicly boasting when some of his results come back negative. However, he remains silent when his test results come back positive. You can not have it both ways and cherry-pick the results that are favorable for you, and insist that we disregard the results that go against your interests.

“Jon has essentially received a use exemption on a strict liability violation. The science is not certain on the defense he has taken. Furthermore, science is always in a state of change. So the science we rely on today is different than the science we relied on from just a few years ago. It will probably change again going forward. Jones is also creating a precedent that will go beyond his personal interests in the sense that now other fighters will also seek use exemptions on a strict liability violation based on an issue that the science community is still divided on. It’s an absolute mess.”

Jones is scheduled to fight Anthony Smith at UFC 235 on March 2nd in Las Vegas. The light-heavyweight champion does not currently have a license to compete in Nevada, and is expected to appear in front of the State’s Commission next Tuesday.