Earlier this week, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold opened up about his reasons for moving up to light heavyweight for his next bout, describing the weight cut to 185 pounds as simply too draining for him as he aged. Rockhold said the cut played a part in him not performing his best during his […]
Earlier this week, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold opened up about his reasons for moving up to light heavyweight for his next bout, describing the weight cut to 185 pounds as simply too draining for him as he aged.
Rockhold said the cut played a part in him not performing his best during his recent knockout loss to Yoel Romero at February’s UFC 221, a fight before which he said he spent several hours in a depleted state.
With weight cutting and its effects a hot topic in MMA, Rockhold made the call that many top fighters have recently and will move to a division much more suited to his natural weight. And when he does, he already has a high-profile dance partner waiting for him.
After his loss to Romero, he was surprisingly called out by former two-time light heavyweight title contender Alexander Gustafsson, who lost to Rockhold’s longtime training partner Daniel Cormier at 2015’s UFC 192. The former Strikeforce and UFC 185-pound champ understandably didn’t take too kindly to ‘The Mauler’s’ impromptu callout, saying he was ‘coming for that ass’ earlier this week.
Gustafsson apparently got word of it as well, and he issued a response on Twitter calling Rockhold ‘chinny’ earlier today:
@LukeRockhold . Heard u coming for me.. Can’t ask for more .chinny as middle weight. KO’d as a LHW. Fool yourself to believe its the weight cut.
I’ll wait for u!!
— Alexander Gustafsson (@AlexTheMauler) March 9, 2018
“The Mauler” had previously hinted he may move up weight classes himself to avoid fighting friends and teammates Jimi Manuwa and Ilir Latifi, yet it seems like he’s willing to wait at 205 for Rockhold to make his debut.
There’s little doubt Rockhold would have a significant test on his hands in the top-ranked Gustafsson, who knocked out Glover Teixeira in a scintillating “Fight of the Night”-winning affair last May before undergoing shoulder surgery.
Rockhold has also been linked to a trilogy bout with rival Michael Bisping, who is rumored to be retiring and infamously ripped the title from Rockhold’s hands at UFC 199. But if he’s serious about a move up to light heavyweight, the ‘Mauler’ fight would be an immediate proving ground to find out if it was the weight cut affecting his recent effort.
Is this the best fight to make for Rockhold’s light heavyweight debut?
Earlier this week, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones issued a seething comeback to Miesha Tate‘s insistence that she was tired of hearing his ‘sob story’ as he played the victim every time he stood in his own way. The criticism came the day after his highly-publicized hearing with the California State Athletic Commission […]
Earlier this week, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones issued a seething comeback to Miesha Tate‘s insistence that she was tired of hearing his ‘sob story’ as he played the victim every time he stood in his own way.
The criticism came the day after his highly-publicized hearing with the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) where he offered scant little evidence but swearing to high Heaven that he hadn’t taken steroids prior to his UFC 214 win over Daniel Cormier – or ever. ‘Cupcake’ publicly voiced her displeasure at Jones’ behavior, focusing on how many times he found himself in needless outside-the-cage trouble.
Jones was quick to blast the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion by taking a thinly-veiled jab at her decision to retire in November 2016, adding that he didn’t quit when things got tough.
But Tate isn’t buying it.
She responded to Jones earlier today (Fri., March 2, 2018) by offering the belief that things didn’t necessarily get tough for him – he instead made them tough for himself:
@jonnybones u make things tougher 4 urself, I hope u can figure it out this time but I’m not holding my breath. Supported u plenty in the past & if ur implying I’m a quitter that’s pretty low. There’s a time when all of us have to stop & Happy I walked away with a clean slate https://t.co/uOuhVzPAG4
There’s no doubt Jones has had almost certainly the longest list of drug-related troubles in UFC history, both performance-enhancing and recreational.
He’s claimed innocence yet again, however, and after the CSAC fined him $205,000 and revoked his license last Tuesday, he’ll now have to appear before USADA to face what could be a lengthy suspension.
Every time he tells it, he’s innocent and the victim of strange circumstances beyond his control, an act that may be wearing thin on even fervent Jones supporters. He didn’t take long to respond to Tate again, this time saying he shouldn’t have responded to her in the first place:
@MieshaTate Never meet negativity with negativity, I shouldn’t have responded to you in the first place. You won
Whatever that means, many close to the situation feel that Jones simply hasn’t learned from his many lessons and second chances, and will continue to be reckless outside of fighting.
Tate called him out on it, and she wasn’t fond of the way he criticized her walking away from the fight game when she no longer felt the desire to compete.
Do you agree with the longtime women’s MMA star on Jones?
When Alexander Gustafsson knocked out Glover Teixeira in the fifth round of their “Fight of the Night”-winning slugfest last May, it was thought that the power-punching Swede had earned a third shot at the UFC 205-pound gold. However, shoulder surgery and the rise of recent title challenger Volkan Oezdemir put that on hold, and the […]
When Alexander Gustafsson knocked out Glover Teixeira in the fifth round of their “Fight of the Night”-winning slugfest last May, it was thought that the power-punching Swede had earned a third shot at the UFC 205-pound gold.
However, shoulder surgery and the rise of recent title challenger Volkan Oezdemir put that on hold, and the opportunity appeared to slip through his grasp once more when divisional champion Daniel Cormier announced he was moving up to heavyweight to meet Stipe Miocic at July’s UFC 226.
With Jon Jones out and his future very uncertain, that’s created a strange position for Gustafsson, who told Viaplay Fight Week (via MMANYTT) that his situation in the division has gotten a little tricky due to his own desire to not fight training partners and close friends Ilir Latifi and Jimi Manuwa:
“We’re teammates, we are friends — close friends — first and foremost and we won’t fight each other,” Gustafsson said of Latifi and Manuwa. “I want to start our discussion by making it clear that we will not fight each other, so now you all know.”
“It’s a tricky situation, for sure. But I mean, we’ll see what happens. [Daniel Cormier] is now going up to face [Stipe Miocic], Ilir Latifi has heavyweight as a possibility,” he continued. “We’ll sort it out somehow. Of course, we both should be able to dream of the belt and we both should get our chances to fight for the title, but we’ll see how it all turns out when we get there.”
Gustafsson then discussed a potential solution, adding that he could move up to heavyweight:
“I can move up to heavyweight, in the light heavyweight division we have Jon Jones coming back, [Daniel Cormier] who maybe is coming back or maybe not. We’ll see how it all plays out.
But me and Ilir Latifi will not compete against each other and the same goes for Jimi Manuwa.”
‘The Mauler’ then declared that he and his teammates would simply have to sit down and talk out the tough spot before once again suggesting he could go up a division:
“We’ll simply have to sit down and talk.” Gustafsson said about the messy situation. “How are we going to solve this in the best possible way? Time will tell — but trust me, we’ll sort it out.
“Heavyweight is also an option. I’m a heavyweight today. I’m actually only a light heavyweight during one day and that’s the weigh-in, after that I’m a good heavyweight.”
The 6′ 5″ Swede is certainly one of the biggest competitors at light heavyweight, evident by his narrow split-decision loss to Jones in their classic UFC 165 fight that many consider the best title fight in the historic division’s decorated timeline.
But would he be able to take on the big dogs at heavyweight?
Earlier today, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion gave her seething (although not untrue) opinion of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who was fined $205,000 and had his license revoked yesterday at a California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) hearing for his UFC 214 failed drug test. Tate was harsh on Jones during an appearance with […]
Earlier today, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion gave her seething (although not untrue) opinion of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who was fined $205,000 and had his license revoked yesterday at a California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) hearing for his UFC 214 failed drug test.
Tate was harsh on Jones during an appearance with MMA on SiriusXM for his repeated outside-the-cage troubles, noting that she no longer wanted to hear his ‘sob story’ after feeling sorry for him many times before (quotes via MMA Fighting):
“The thing is, I don’t really care at this point if he comes back because I’ve lost the motivation and the interest, and the faith that I have in Jon Jones has been lost,” Tate said. “Now maybe in three, four years, if he gets a great suspension [from the USADA], if he gets the book thrown at him and he really does make those changes, maybe he has a chance at restoring [his legacy], but at this point I just don’t care anymore. I don’t care. I’m over Jon Jones. I’m done with it.
“I don’t want to hear his sob story. I felt sorry for the first, second time he kind of had me. But it’s like, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, I mean, come on, am I waiting for a fourth now? I just don’t — I’m over it.
The retired women’s MMA star continued on that she did wish Jones would actually change, but after so many issues after he said he was a changed man, Jones would have to show her actions speak louder than words:
“I wish and I hope that it does change Jon Jones, but I’m also not invested in Jon Jones anymore,” Tate said. “I guess it’s what it is. I’m kind of checked out at this point. It’s just been too many times, too many instances. And I’ve heard this story one, two, three, four, five times already, so unless he shows me something different than just saying ‘I’m a changed man,’ he’s got to do a lot more to gain me back as a fan and to care to see him compete again. I just don’t want to be let down again.”
Jones found out about Tate’s disowning him as a fan, writing back to her on social media with a thinly-veiled shot accusing Tate of retiring when the going got tough before saying she might find ‘motivation’ in his life and to enjoy retirement:
@MieshaTate I don’t quit when things get tough for me, I get stronger. You just wait and see, maybe you’ll even find motivation in it. Sucks I lost you as a fan. Enjoy retirement sister
It would seem that Jones took Tate’s words rather hard to issue an almost immediate response containing so many seething accusations at the longtime women’s MMA veteran.
As Jones prepares to face a possibly lengthy suspension from USADA in his next drug-related hearing, this reaction may go along with the consensus that he had learned precious little and was behaving like the victim during a CSAC hearing where he admitted his manager had forged his signature on USADA-related tutorials.
Finding ‘motivation’ in having to constantly return from one drug-related issue to the next is a difficult situation to envision for Tate, who fought a literal whos-who of women’s MMA stars during a 10-year career in fighting where she won titles in three promotions.
She may not be the best fighter in her sport’s history like Jones arguably is, yet she’s hardly the first person whom Jones’ drug issue-tired victim act is wearing thin on.
What do you think about “Bones’” latest statement?
Yesterday, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones appeared before the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to face sanctions for his 2017 drug test failure for anabolic steroid Turinabol prior to his UFC 214 win over Daniel Cormier in Anaheim. The troubled MMA legend had his license revoked, was fined $205,000, and can potentially reapply in August. […]
Yesterday, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones appeared before the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to face sanctions for his 2017 drug test failure for anabolic steroid Turinabol prior to his UFC 214 win over Daniel Cormier in Anaheim.
The troubled MMA legend had his license revoked, was fined $205,000, and can potentially reapply in August. However, a much more damning punishment could come from Jones’ to-be-scheduled hearing with USADA, sanctions the CSAC said would dictate whether he was reinstated in California or not.
Those sanctions very possibly won’t be light ones, either – Jones was already suspended for one year after testing positive for two banned substances prior to his scheduled UFC 200 meeting with Cormier. That certainly won’t help Jones’ plight; yet it was his almost flippant, barely-there choice of defense that could have him facing some serious – and most likely justified – punishment from USADA.
It was this defense that showed Jones hasn’t learned anything from his years-long battles with drugs (both performance-enhancing and recreational) and alcohol, and looking at the exact facts of how he chose to ‘defend’ himself, even if he didn’t necessarily receive a huge punishment just yet, show why he’s learned nothing from the experience.
First, Jones’ team brought in Dr. Paul Scott of Korva Labs to offer the opinion Jones had unknowingly taken Turinabol in the form of a supplement, all the while admitting that all of Jones’ tested supplements didn’t contain the substance. Dr. Scott then gave another peculiar admission before the commission as noted by Bloody Elbow’s Iain Kidd that he had based at least some of his research on how much Turinabol a person might use by looking it up on a bodybuilding website given to him by Jones’ attorney Howard Jacobs.
His conclusion was that Jones most likely took Turinabol unknowingly because Jones would have had the substance in his system for a longer period of time if he was using the amount necessary for performance enhancement, and had passed all subsequent tests. He then admitted there was a great deal of uncertainty around those so-called findings.
Not the glarest nor most scientifically-based conclusion, but things only got worse when Jones took the stand.
There, Jones played the role of victim as he has so many times in the past, saying it had been a strange time for him with PEDs. He swore to God he hadn’t used steroids last year and never had, and said he had a new nutritionist to monitor his meals and supplements.
A good idea, but that’s when they ended.
Expertly grilled on his laundry list of past trouble by Commissioner Martha Shen-Urquidez, Jones outright admitted he had not taken the required USADA tutorials for the UFC’s anti-doping program and said his management had forged his signature for him.
Those are not good things to have to weigh you down heading into a USADA hearing where Jones is going to face much more punishment than he did yesterday. To top it off, Shen-Urquidez asked Jones if he had wrapped the Bentley the UFC gave him “around a utility pole” while intoxicated in reference to his 2012 DUI. Even with that image fresh in the commission’s mind, Jones said he still drank alcohol. He joked he would fire his manager Malki Kawa when the commission realistically asked if he should consider it.
Despite this clown show, CSAC executive officer Andy Foster still said he believed Jones had not knowingly taken Turinabol because the timing was off for him to use it during the fight and pass all of the other tests. The commission seemed to at least reluctantly agree that he had not as well. That may not matter much when Jones faces USADA and has to answer why he did not complete the required tutorials, and more so, why he had his management forge his signature.
The punishment based on that probably should be stiff, and Jones just didn’t do himself any favors by admitting the things he did while swearing up and down he never used steroids with his usual clichés.
It shows the MMA world one thing: that he just hasn’t learned his lesson after the countless screw-ups, and most likely, he won’t. He continues to point the finger at everyone else, always making excuses and never making changes. You’d think an athlete with millions of dollars on the line would give up drinking alcohol, but Jones said he still drank so quickly it seemed he hadn’t even considered it.
We may still see Jon Jones in the Octagon relatively soon. He has an uncanny knack for making comebacks, and he’s made more than any other fighter in UFC history. We may not, however, and if we don’t, it will all be because Jones refuses to get out of his own way.
Earlier today, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones appeared before the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to find out potential sanctions for his UFC 214 failed drug test for anabolic steroid Turinabol. There, commissioners fined Jones $205,000 and revoked his license, saying he could reapply for the license later this year pending a […]
But the hearing for punishment, which was essentially handed over to USADA for presumably its full weight and consequences, wasn’t exactly a glaring moment for Jones and his team despite the appearance of him being potentially able to reapply for a license to fight in California later this year. “Bones’” defense presented an anti-doping expert who claimed there was a distinct chance he had tested positive for Turinabol due to the quickly tiring tainted supplement defense but revealed it was not found in all of Jones’ tested supplements and provided no evidence otherwise.
Facing his second USADA violation in as many years, Jones also said he didn’t know how he could prevent something like this from happening because he didn’t knowingly do anything wrong to begin with, and was then grilled at length by the commissioners with much of the focus on his incredibly sordid past of drug-related issues. Jones seemed to think that a defense of him swearing he didn’t do it was enough, but that most likely won’t be the case, and overall, it seems like he did himself no favors with what appeared to be a less-than-intelligent defense.
But “Bones” isn’t holding any grudges against the CSAC – or at least he’s making it appear that way.
Shortly after the hearing’s conclusion, he issued a short Tweet thanking the commission and especially executive officer Andy Foster, who said he believes Jones didn’t knowingly take steroids:
I want to thank csac for taking the time and hearing my case, and executive officer Andy Foster for saying he believes me.
Thank yous are a nice touch; however, Jones is now facing a potentially much stiffer punishment than the fine and license revocation he got today.
The troubled UFC legend could face a suspension of up to four years after he already served a one-year suspension for failing in the days before 2016’s UFC 200.
He also (extremely foolishly) admitted that he did not read or watch the USADA tutorials provided to UFC fighters and instead had his management team sign his name on the paperwork insisting he did.
It’s hard to imagine a situation where USADA takes it easy on a fighter who admitted such a blatant violation of their rules, and he was probably already going to be suspended anyway.
