‘You suck’: MMA star Jon Jones hits out at reporter as she quizzes him over drug test controversy ahead of Alexander Gustafsson clash at UFC 232
MMA star Jon Jones blasted a reporter for quizzing him over his recent drug test controversy ahead of his return to the octagon against Alexander Gustafsson this weekend.
Jones was refused a licence to fight by the Nevada State Athletic Commission this week after abnormalities were found in a test submitted by the former light heavyweight champion, compelling the UFC to take the extraordinary decision of moving an entire pay-per-view show from Nevada to California on six days’ notice to ensure the UFC 232 event would go ahead.
Despite the current controversy swirling around him, the American did little to restore his public image during Thursday’s press conference as he launched a puerile attack on Swedish journalist Izabelle Kostic for asking him about his checkered history with drugs.
Jon Jones blasted a reporter for quizzing him about his checkered history with failed drug tests
The UFC star ignored journalist Izabelle Kostic’s question and shouted at her: ‘You suck’
The 31-year-old, who has previously served two lengthy suspensions for failed drug tests, ignored her questions before urging the crowd to boo her and to take the microphone off of her.
Kostic directed a similar question at UFC president Dana White, who claimed he couldn’t hear what she said before Jones shouted: ‘Better journalism. You suck.’
The UFC star did apologise to fans for the inconveniences caused by his latest trouble with the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) – which has also seen his fellow UFC 232 fighters’ paychecks dwarfed due to the change of location – but defiantly defended himself over the recent controversy.
The American also urged the crowd to boo Kostic and to removed the microphone from her
He said: ‘Even though a lot of fans got hurt in this situation, we saved the event. Look at all the people that got to be here, all the people that are planning on ordering the fight around the world. The organisation is doing everything they can to make it right. Changing the event instead of cancelling the event is the way of making this right.
‘This probably shouldn’t have even been brought up. It’s such a small amount that it has no effect. I think the professionals whether it’s USADA or the UFC are realising, “Jon is kind of like a guinea pig in this situation”.
‘I was almost wronged in this situation. Even though (the substance) was in me, I think this is a way of fixing a wrong and making it right again by not cancelling this fight.’
Despite the recent inconsistencies in his drug test, Jones has been given the green light to fight this weekend by The California State Athletic Commission.
The UFC’s end-of-the-year show was moved 250 miles southwest to Inglewood, the suburb south of downtown Los Angeles after the NSAC wanted to postpone Jones’ return until the latest test could be addressed in a hearing in January.
However, CSAC executive officer Andy Foster has insisted the abnormalities found in Jones’ test is due to traces of THE steroid metabolite – which he was suspended 15 months for using in September 2017 – still being in his system.
UFC executive Jeff Novitzky supports those claims and revealed this week that the recent adverse findings are down to trace amounts of a long-term metabolite of oral turinabol which first came to light back in August during a screening conducted by USADA.
That test discovered eight picograms of the oral turinabol metabolite in Jones’ system and Novitzky said that his next drug test on September 18, also came back positive for 19 picograms of the same long-term oral turinabol metabolite.
His fight with Alexander Gustafsson was moved to Los Angeles after abnormalities were found in a recent drug test and he was denied a licence by the Nevada State Athletic Commission
After that, four consecutive drug tests came back clean for Jones before the long-term metabolite reemerged in an out-of-competition USADA test collected earlier this month in the range of 60 to 80 picograms.
Novitzky said USADA shared the findings with experts and conducted an investigation that determined Jones’ low levels for the oral turinabol metabolite were merely ‘residual’ from the test Jones failed last September for the same substance, and that there was ‘no evidence of any re-administration.’
Jones’ opponent on Saturday night Gustafsson appeared to have little sympathy for the American and plans to make him pay for causing such confusion ahead of their fight.
He added: ‘Whatever this guy is saying, it’s just (nonsense). He’s just terrible. This guy is terrible. I’m here to fight. I’m flexible. It’s all good, but we have friends, family coming into town, having plans.
‘They have their budgets. They have to reschedule, re-plan everything, whatever. Whatever this guy is saying, you can’t take it serious. He’s just terrible, and he will eat it on Saturday night, I’m telling you.’
