UFC 232 VADA Test Reveals Trace Amount of Same Steroid Metabolite in Jon Jones’ System

Jon Jones continues to have trace elements of the steroid Turinabol show up in his system.

According to multiple reports, Jones tested positive for the long-term oral Turinabol metabolite that has shown up in multiple screenings since the light heavyweight champion’s failed drug test for the same substance in July 2017. The latest example occurred during an in-competition VADA test conducted in relation to UFC 232. The positive sample was collected on Dec. 28. However, additional tests after the one in question have since come back clean, including one on fight night.

California State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster told MMAFighting.com that Jones will not be punished for the positive test, because it is the same residual amount from his failed drug test in relation to UFC 214, which resulted in a 15-month suspension for “Bones.” There is no evidence, Foster said, that Jones has ingested the banned substance again.

“I spoke with the scientists,” Foster said. “They stand by their original statement. Nothing has changed. We’ve already punished Jon Jones for the M3 metabolite, which is a long-term metabolite. There’s no grounds to charge somebody twice for the same violation.”

The Turinabol metabolite showed up in multiple Jones drug tests between August 2018 and December 2018, the last of which occurred on Dec. 9. As a result, the Nevada Athletic Commission declined to license Jones for his UFC 232 bout with Alexander Gustafsson and the event was moved to The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The Jackson-Wink MMA product had to agree to additional VADA testing in order to be licensed by CSAC for the bout. Jones defeated Gustafsson via third-round stoppage to claim the vacant 205-pound belt in their Dec. 29 fight.

Jones, who has repeatedly denied knowingly taking performance enhancing drugs, will go before the NAC for an evidentiary hearing later this month. The commission must agree to license Jones so he can defend his belt against Anthony Smith in the UFC 235 headliner on March 2 in Las Vegas.