In a series of dramatic events which started with the ‘B’ test of Jon Jones also confirming that he had taken a steroid Turinabol, the California State Athletic Commission then overturned the result of the Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier July 29th fight to a no contest.
Though Jon Jones team denies that he took any steroid willingly, but he now faces an even longer suspension than the last one as a repeat offender, up to four years by USADA.
Which brings us to what happens to the belt? Does it become vacant or does it go back to Daniel Cormier.
Well, Daniel Cormier came on the UFC Tonight show and clarified that Dana White had called him to tell him that he would get the belt back, which in the light of Jon Jones test result, is something that DC agreed with. DC stated ’ The fight is a no contest. If he cheated, he could not have fought and cheated and still won the fight.’ DC went on to say ‘People will say stuff like, well you got handed the belt,” Cormier said. “He cheated and the reality is for me to say, ‘I don’t want this title,’ when I was gonna be in a championship fight anyway, financially it’s just a big difference if I don’t fight as the champion as opposed to fighting for the title.’
‘He disqualified himself for taking a steroid before the fight, so it didn’t happen,’ Cormier said. ‘So now I get the belt back, which is the right thing to do. And I’m not only saying that because it’s me. It’s the right thing to do. You don’t cheat the sport, you don’t cheat the fans, you don’t cheat me. You have all the physical advantages, sir. You’re 30 years old, you’re 6-4, you’ve got an 85-inch reach. I’m 38 years old. I would love to take stuff and not have to wake up every morning and walk down my stairs sideways.’ ‘We had one of the biggest fights of the year,’ Cormier said. ‘Once again, this guy has made a mockery of the sport.’
So Daniel Cormier has finally come out and not minced his words and one has to give it to him for the patience he’s had in handling himself while this situation has unfolded.
The UFC also issued a statement to clear the air about the situation surrounding the lightweight belt.
“UFC was informed Wednesday that the result of the UFC 214 bout between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier on July 29 was overturned by the California State Athletic Commission. The ruling changes the Jones ‘win’ to a ‘no contest’ following a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an in-competition sample collected after Jones’ weigh-in on July 28, 2017.
As this was a title bout, Cormier will be reinstated as UFC light heavyweight champion.”