Daniel Cormier, other MMA fighters react to UFC 232 changing locations
Dana White and Jeff Novitzky explain why UFC 232 is being moved to Los Angeles after Jon Jones’ test results show a presence of metabolite from his 2017 test. (2:35)
Greg Rosenstein is the MMA editor at ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter at @grosenstein.
UFC President Dana White shook up the MMA world on Sunday night when he appeared on SportsCenter to announce that UFC 232 on Dec. 29 will be moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.The highly anticipated card is headlined by Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson competing for the UFC light heavyweight belt.
The move is based around licensing. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) reported an atypical finding of a drug test Jones submitted on Dec. 9. USADA, however, ruled the trace amount found in Jones’s system is consistent with “residual amounts” of a July 2017 test — meaning the low amount does not suggest Jones re-administered a parent drug.
In an unprecedented move, the UFC is relocating next weekend’s UFC 232 pay-per-view event from Las Vegas to Los Angeles because of a licensing issue involving Jon Jones in the state of Nevada.
“Both USADA and worldwide anti-doping experts told us this was not a re-ingestion of a prohibited substance, it was remaining effects from the July 2017 positive test — for which he was already sanctioned,” Jeff Novitzky, UFC’s vice president of athlete health and performance, told ESPN. “And probably more importantly, he retains no performance-enhancing benefits from the small presence of the substance.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission would not grant Jones a license, and in order to keep him on the card, the UFC moved the event to Los Angeles.
When news broke, MMA fighters took to social media to express their opinion of the late-notice change.
He tested positive again!
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 23, 2018
Smh….. pic.twitter.com/7ANsAIL0jf
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 24, 2018
I’m always clean. I train and drink Modelo. https://t.co/V9e2YMeYeB
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) December 24, 2018
Anyone know a good travel agent? #UFC232 asking for #CyborgNation pic.twitter.com/Nmk6sHxkuB
— Cris Cyborg #CyborgNation (@criscyborg) December 24, 2018
Remember that time Dana said @jonjones would never main event again…. um yeah
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) December 24, 2018
Them: OMG @JonnyBones pissed hot again?!
Me: pic.twitter.com/T9073F3yNm
— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) December 24, 2018
I’ve always been very defensive of the criticisms against ufc but I’m really not proud to be a part of this organization today.
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) December 24, 2018
Or maybe a fighter on the card that had to find out through the internet… https://t.co/qNmwMdFSlN
— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) December 23, 2018
Shoutout to all the UFC employees working hard on Christmas Eve & Day 🎁🙏🏽 You all are the best
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) December 24, 2018
17 picograms of ostarine got me 2 years.
— “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (@FilthyTomLawlor) December 23, 2018
Meanwhile back at my air bnb in Vegas…. #ufc232 pic.twitter.com/9mDZvMEcoP
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) December 24, 2018
USADA is a joke. Small trace amount from 2017 trigged a positive test? UFC has to move the entire event from Vegas to LA due to “holidays” for NASC. Oh cool. Nothing fishy AT ALL. 🤷🏽♂️😂😂😂 https://t.co/xJ5OaAUZbn
— Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) December 24, 2018
Why am I not surprised… pic.twitter.com/JTmmDOXFsc
— Anthony Smith (@lionheartsmith) December 24, 2018
Can I have some of Jon Jones purse though as reimbursement to the family that I have flying down to Vegas and the hotels booked ? @ufc
— Brian Kelleher (@brianboom135) December 24, 2018
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️ https://t.co/z8TDllIOEV
— Krzysztof Jotko (@JotkoMMA) December 23, 2018