LOS ANGELES — Questions regarding Jon Jones‘ drug test history dominated a UFC news conference on Thursday.
Jones (22-1) is scheduled to face Alexander Gustafsson (18-4) for the light heavyweight title on Saturday at The Forum. At one point in the news conference, which took place inside a hotel ballroom near Los Angeles International Airport, Gustafsson was directly asked whether he believes Jones is a drug cheat, following an abnormal test result earlier this month.
“Yes, I do,” Gustafsson said.
“I think it’s bad for the sport, it’s bad for the organization, and it’s not good for anyone to have these conversations before a fight.”
Jones, 31, submitted a test on Dec. 9 that showed a small amount of steroid metabolite. Jones tested positive for the same metabolite in July 2017 and served a 15-month suspension for it. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the California State Athletic Commission cleared the fight, saying the metabolite was most likely left over from Jones’ 2017 test.
That hasn’t stopped reporters and fans from focusing on the abnormal result and the pair of drug tests he failed earlier in his career.
At one point Thursday, Jones dismissed a reporter who refused to drop the line of questioning.
As the reporter continued to ask UFC president Dana White why Jones was still eligible to compete, Jones interrupted: “Better questions, better journalism, better journalism — you suck.”
Other than that interaction, Jones answered every question, most of which centered on the test result and not the fight.
Jones, who has been stripped of his title twice by the UFC, said he believes the focus will eventually turn to the fight — even if it only does so after it’s over.
Saturday’s fight is a rematch of a riveting five-round title fight in 2013, when Jones defeated Gustafsson via unanimous decision.
“There will always be asterisks. There are asterisks next to ‘who is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter,'” Jones said. “In my mind, there is no asterisk. I was afraid of there being an asterisk next to my career, but as I’m learning what this really is, I’m actually almost mad this was mentioned. It’s invisible.
“I’ve taken off the asterisk. I know what I’ve done. Every push-up, every sit-up, showing up to practice early and leaving late. I know what I’ve done. After beating Gustafsson, I’m going back to be back on the track I’ve always been, which is being one of the greatest of all time. I know that in my heart, no matter who believes me or not.”