UFC 232 Moves to Los Angeles Following Adverse Drug Test Result from Jon Jones
UFC 232 is moving from Las Vegas to Inglewood, Calif. On less than a week’s notice after an adverse finding in a drug test result returned by Jon Jones.
UFC president Dana White announced the news on ESPN on Sunday after USADA found trace amounts of Turinabol in Jones’ system from a Dec. 9 test. That’s the same drug found in Jones’ system last July when he failed a drug test following his fight against Daniel Cormier.
This time around, however, UFC officials and USADA said that the amount found in his system was so small that they believe it was likely residual leftover from Jones’ positive test in 2017. As a result, USADA would not punish Jones for the drug testing infraction but due to the timing, the Nevada State Athletic Commission would not sanction his fight against Alexander Gustafsson on Dec. 29.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission instead will hold a hearing next month to go over the Jones situation and they released a statement on the situation on Sunday.
“Today, Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Bob Bennett announced that, in consultation with NSAC Commission Chair Anthony Marnell, III, unarmed combatant Jon Jones will be allowed to withdraw his pending application for licensure, which was intended to clear him to fight in a major contest in Nevada later this month,” Nevada Commission officials said in a statement.
“After extensive analysis of Mr. Jones’ prior 18 months of USADA in- and out-of-competition anti-doping drug testing results, Director Bennett, Chair Marnell, and Mr. Jones agree that he will appear at an evidentiary hearing in January. This will allow for a measured, thoughtful, and comprehensive discussion of his anti-doping testing protocol and results and provide an opportunity for the NSAC to determine the appropriate path forward for him in Nevada. We look forward to his hearing.”
Because Nevada would not allow the fight to move forward as scheduled, the UFC then reached out to the California State Athletic Commission to see about moving the fight to The Forum in Inglewood just outside of Los Angeles.
The California Commission just recently re-licensed Jones following his previous drug test failure from 2017.
Because that commission was familiar with Jones’ testing history as well as the current results showing trace amounts of a banned substance this time around, California allowed the fight to take place there instead.
So that means the entire event will be shifted from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on six days notice.
Tickets for the new UFC 232 will go on sale Wednesday with the UFC offering refunds for tickets already purchased in Las Vegas or attempting to offer alternate tickets to the new card in Los Angeles if fans are willing to make the trip.
