Jon Jones did not take PEDs. At least not knowingly.
In a new interview with ESPN's Ariel Helwani, Jones adamantly denied knowingly taking PEDs.
"No, I have never knowingly taken a PED, and I also passed a polygraph test in January to confirm that is a true statement," he said. "I think it's funny how when you're one of the best in the sport people are so quick to never mind a polygraph test, as if I have powers over a test that has been working on people since before I was born. I just love how that part is discredited."
Jones has failed two separate USADA tests in the past. The first failure came in July 2016 when he popped for clomiphene, an anti-estrogenic substance, and letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor. He was pulled from his scheduled UFC 200 bout as a result. The second failure came in August 2017 after a positive test for Turinabol, an anabolic steroid. His UFC 214 victory over Daniel Cormier was overturned to a no contest as a result.
Rival Daniel Cormier has been outspoken about USADA's testing and Jones passing a polygraph test. After Jones' suspension was reduced in September, Cormier told USADA to stop calling him so much, noting that he's never failed a drug test. Jones had thoughts on Cormier's outrage over USADA's testing process.
"I think this is just another way for him to blame something for him getting knocked out in our last fight," he said. "At the end of the day, the way it was described to me, the amount of steroids that were found in my body was the equivalent of throwing a pinch of salt in an Olympic-size swimming pool. There was so little of it in my body, there's no scientific way possible that this could have affected my performance. There's no reason for him to be mad at USADA. USADA didn't get him knocked out."
Jones knocked out Cormier in the third round of their UFC 214 bout. As far as a potential third fight goes between the two men, Jones stated that he has no interest in the bout.
