Bisping Is Still Suspicious Of Jones’ PED Situation
Michael Bisping has been one of the most vocal fighters to speak out against PED use in MMA, throughout his whole career. Now ‘The Count’ has expressed his suspicions at Jon Jones’ recent abnormal test results.
In the lead up to UFC 232, it was revealed that Jones had a drug test that revealed metabolites of turinabol, the banned substance that he tested positive to previously, still in his system. As a result of the drug test abnormality, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NSAC) were unwilling to license him to fight in Las Vegas and the whole card was moved to Los Angeles on six days notice.
UFC executive Jeff Novitzky revealed that USADA had actually found adverse findings in Jones’ tests in August and September, as well as December. Having spoken to several experts, USADA and the UFC it was clear that Jones’ had done nothing wrong. The UFC may believe this to be true but not everyone is happy to accept this as gospel. Including Michael Bisping. As he said on his Believe You Me podcast, as transcribed by MMA Fighting.
“So Jon Jones passed his post-fight drug test, which was the question that I asked him which pissed him off which led to him being kind of annoyed with me on the post-fight show. I don’t want to turn this into Michael Bisping s***ting on Jon Jones because he’s a legendary fighter – he was the youngest ever champion in the UFC. But to me – and I don’t know the science, I’m speaking purely from the standpoint that this is a fair question to ask – the narrative as to why he failed the drug test and failed multiple drug tests in August, September, and December, is that these metabolites from the turinabol were in his system from years ago and they could still be there for years and then all of a sudden he tests positive and then it’s brought to the forefront – Devil’s advocate, you would have to be f***ing stupid to continue microdosing – then all of a sudden, voila, the next time he gets tested it is out of his system. I don’t know. I’m not saying that is the reality, I’m just saying that is the first thing that I thought and I’d be lying if I didn’t say so. . .
“That was the narrative going into this fight: ‘Listen, this is remnants, it was leftover from whenever it was.’ But the point of the matter is that Jeff Novitzky was saying, everyone was saying this could be in his system for a long, long time and then , lo and behold, he tests clean.”
He may be suspicious of the now infamous ‘picogram’ in Jones’ blood but Bisping is happy to see him back.
“I’m glad he tested clean, I really am. I hope he continues to do so. He’s a great talent, he’s a great fighter, and I’m glad Jon Jones is back. I’m glad anytime fighters come back.
“I hope he stays clean. I don’t hope he passes his tests and gets away with it. I hope he stays clean. They’re two very different things. I don’t hope he gets away with it. I hope he’s competing on a level playing field and we get to see the best Jon Jones that we can.”