A little less than a week ago,
UFC World light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones showed off his seemingly supernatural fighting talents by handily defeating
Daniel Cormier at
UFC 182.
This past Tuesday, however, Jones proved that he was all too human after he checked into a drug treatment facility as a result of a
Nevada State Athletic Commission (
NSAC) test that found traces of cocaine in his system. The test was conducted on December 4, well before the Jones - Cormier match.
http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/12129597/ufc-light-heavyweight-champion-jon-jones-enters-drug-treatment-facilityBleacher Report's
Jonathan Snowden writes that the circumstances and consequences of Jones' failed test remain sketchy. Whatever actions that could have been taken by the NSAC and that can be taken by the UFC appear to be limited.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2322145-complete-guide-to-ufc-champ-jon-joness-cocaine-scandalMeanwhile,
Steven Morocco of
MMA Junkie reported that Jones' tests might have revealed another anomaly.
http://mmajunkie.com/2015/01/anti-doping-expert-with-odd-testosterone-readings-cir-test-needed-on-jones-sampleJeremy Botter of
Bleacher Report remarked on
Twitter that the test recommended in the MMA Junkie article was already performed but the results were yet to be released.
https://twitter.com/jeremybotter/status/553369596213084160Twitter, of course, became the venue for numerous reactions to Jones' drug test and his decision to enter rehab.
http://mmajunkie.com/2015/01/twitter-reactions-fellow-fighters-react-to-ufc-champ-jon-jones-failed-drug-testUFC World lightweight titlist Anthony Pettis, one of the few people who knows the perils of the pressure-cooker lifestyle experienced by athletes such as his fellow champ "Bones", had this to say on the matter in an interview with MMA Junkie's
John Morgan:
“It’s hard. Jon’s young. He’s my age: 27. You get put in front of a lot of people who care about who you are and there’s some negative energy around that, as well. Some people don’t want to see you do good or want to introduce you to things will bring you down, and it’s kind of up to you. You’ve got to be strong-willed. You’ve got to know what to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to.
“For me, I lost my dad to that kind of stuff, so I already knew. I feel like I have a strong willpower not to get mixed up in that stuff. Anybody else, I think it’s hard. It’s definitely there. It’s around you at parties you go to and events you go to...you have to be careful...it's very easy to lose focus on the goal.
“I think a lot of athletes get caught up in that thing. You just have to be careful. I lost my dad, and I see other people where I came from and how they live their life, and I don’t want to get mixed up with that, so I think that’s what keeps me away from it.â€