The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has officially granted Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones a license to fight and defend his title against Thiago Santos at the upcoming UFC 239 pay-per-view (PPV) event on July 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to NSAC commission executive director, Bob Bennett, “Bones” has actually been licensed for the rest of the year since he has complied with all regulations set forth to him during his prior hearing to receive a one-time license at UFC 235 earlier this year.
Jones has seen increased drug testing, which Bennett says has been very extensive for him this year to the tune of being tested a whopping 30 times since January by NSAC, United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) and Voluntary Anti Doping Agency (VADA).
“He’s been a consummate professional and given his full cooperation,” Bennett told ESPN, while revealing that traces of a steroid metabolite have still been found in recent tests.
Again, proper authorities have gone on to testify and confirmed that Jon has not been re-ingesting the banned substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT) since his initial failure two years ago prior to UFC 200.
Since Jon has already been punished for that transgression, USADA won’t punish him again for the same infraction as a result of the lingering metabolite since the absence of the parent compound proves he has no re-ingested.
Last December, Dana White and Co. opted to move UFC 232 from Las Vegas to Inglewood on a week’s notice after NSAC was unable to license “Bones” to compete after more traces of the banned anabolic steroid surfaced. Since it was during Christmas break, no one at NSAC headquarters was able to get the ball rolling, forcing the promotion to make the move to California.
Since putting all these issues behind him, Jon has been a very busy man, as his fight against Thiago will be his third in just seven months. And since he intends to fight once more this year, it’s good to know NSAC already has a license ready for him should “Sin City” be the designation.