Jon Jones Stripped of UFC Title for a Second Time
In the wake of receiving a one-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Jon Jones has been stripped of the interim UFC light heavyweight championship, marking the second time in his career that he has been stripped of a UFC title.
UFC president Dana White acknowledged that Jones had been stripped of the belt on a recent episode of ESPN's 5ive Rounds podcast.
“It doesn't make sense,” White said. “He was the interim champion because he should have been fighting for the title (in April). We gave him this, ‘You were supposed to fight for the title. Here it is.'
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White was, of course, referring to UFC 197, where Jones was supposed to challenge Daniel Cormier for the belt, but wound up fighting Ovince Saint Preux instead.
“It doesn't make sense with all the stuff that is going on for him to still be the interim champion.”
White was then talking about Jones being pulled from his UFC 200 bout with Cormier in July due to testing positive for two prohibited substances. Following a lengthy arbitration hearing, the arbitrator determined that Jones did not intentionally try to cheat the system, but should face the maximum suspension for his recklessness when ingesting a substance he knew little about.
That was the latest in a string of issues for Jones, many of which took place outside the Octagon. He tested positive for cocaine. He has wrecked his car and been charged with driving under the influence. He was charged with felony hit-and-run.
As has been said numerous times, Jones has been his own worst enemy.
“Jon Jones has blown it in every way, shape and form a guy with that much talent can blow it,” White said. “Greatest talent ever and the biggest screw-up ever.”
Jones will be eligible to return to the Octagon in July of 2017.