MMA News Thread
- Thread starter Shogun Locc
- Start date
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-c...into-a-drug-treatment-facility-214520325.html
"But in a random drug test given to him on Dec. 4 by the Nevada Athletic Commission, Jones tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite in cocaine.
The Nevada commission follows the World Anti-Doping Agency code and benzoylecgonine is not banned out-of-competition. As a result, the commission was unable to penalize Jones or prevent him from fighting despite knowing of the positive test.
It conducted a follow-up random test a short while later that Jones passed. Yahoo Sports was unable to get the exact date of the second test that Jones passed"
"But in a random drug test given to him on Dec. 4 by the Nevada Athletic Commission, Jones tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite in cocaine.
The Nevada commission follows the World Anti-Doping Agency code and benzoylecgonine is not banned out-of-competition. As a result, the commission was unable to penalize Jones or prevent him from fighting despite knowing of the positive test.
It conducted a follow-up random test a short while later that Jones passed. Yahoo Sports was unable to get the exact date of the second test that Jones passed"
Report: Glover Teixeira hurt, Mir-'Bigfoot' now UFC Fight Night 61 main event
NOOOOOOO!!!
An injury to headliner Glover Teixeira reportedly has forced a change to the UFC Fight Night 61 main event.
Teixeira (22-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC), a recent light heavyweight title challenger, was set to meet former champion Rashad Evans (19-3-1 MMA, 14-3-1 UFC) in the headliner in Brazil in February. But a Teixeira injury has scrapped that. MMA Fighting first brought word of the news, citing UFC President Dana White.
Instead, a heavyweight bout between Frank Mir (16-9 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and Antonio Silva (18-6-1 MMA, 2-3-1 UFC), originally set for the main card of UFC 184, will move up a week – and to a different continent – to headline the show.
UFC Fight Night 61 takes place on Sunday, Feb. 22,at Gigantinho Gymnasium in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The main card is expected to air on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. UFC 184 takes place Feb. 28 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The evening’s main card airs on pay-per-view.
There was no word on what will happen next for Evans, who now is left without an opponent in his return after more than a year on the sideline.
Teixeira is in bad need of a victory after losing back-to-back fights. He started his UFC career 5-0, including four stoppages as part of a 20-fight winning streak. He earned a title shot against light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, but lost a lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 172 in April. He followed that up at UFC 179 in Rio de Janeiro with a decision loss to Phil Davis, giving him the first losing skid of his career. Now his shot at snapping the skid gets put on hold.
Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, is mired in a four-fight losing streak, the longest such run of his career after never previously even losing two consecutive outings. Most recently, the 35-year-old came up short in a February 2013 meeting with Alistair Overeem, meaning Mir will have more than one full year off between appearances.
Meanwhile, “Bigfoot” Silva has also been winless in his past three fights, sandwiching a pair of losses to Andrei Arlovski and Cain Velasquez around a thrilling draw with Mark Hunt. The September loss to Arlovski was a devastating knockout, which was a surprising result after going five full rounds with the hard-hitting Hunt.
NOOOOOOO!!!
An injury to headliner Glover Teixeira reportedly has forced a change to the UFC Fight Night 61 main event.
Teixeira (22-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC), a recent light heavyweight title challenger, was set to meet former champion Rashad Evans (19-3-1 MMA, 14-3-1 UFC) in the headliner in Brazil in February. But a Teixeira injury has scrapped that. MMA Fighting first brought word of the news, citing UFC President Dana White.
Instead, a heavyweight bout between Frank Mir (16-9 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and Antonio Silva (18-6-1 MMA, 2-3-1 UFC), originally set for the main card of UFC 184, will move up a week – and to a different continent – to headline the show.
UFC Fight Night 61 takes place on Sunday, Feb. 22,at Gigantinho Gymnasium in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The main card is expected to air on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. UFC 184 takes place Feb. 28 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The evening’s main card airs on pay-per-view.
There was no word on what will happen next for Evans, who now is left without an opponent in his return after more than a year on the sideline.
Teixeira is in bad need of a victory after losing back-to-back fights. He started his UFC career 5-0, including four stoppages as part of a 20-fight winning streak. He earned a title shot against light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, but lost a lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 172 in April. He followed that up at UFC 179 in Rio de Janeiro with a decision loss to Phil Davis, giving him the first losing skid of his career. Now his shot at snapping the skid gets put on hold.
Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, is mired in a four-fight losing streak, the longest such run of his career after never previously even losing two consecutive outings. Most recently, the 35-year-old came up short in a February 2013 meeting with Alistair Overeem, meaning Mir will have more than one full year off between appearances.
Meanwhile, “Bigfoot” Silva has also been winless in his past three fights, sandwiching a pair of losses to Andrei Arlovski and Cain Velasquez around a thrilling draw with Mark Hunt. The September loss to Arlovski was a devastating knockout, which was a surprising result after going five full rounds with the hard-hitting Hunt.
Roy Nelson vs. Alistair Overeem slated for UFC 185 in Dallas
Two of the heavyweight division’s hardest hitters will meet in March at UFC 185.
Roy Nelson (20-10 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and fellow vet Alistair Overeem (38-14 MMA, 3-3 UFC) have agreed to meet at the show. UFC officials today announced the fight.
UFC 185 takes place March 14 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. As recently announced, UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (18-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) meets Rafael dos Anjos (23-7 MMA, 12-5 UFC) in the headliner.
Overeem is ranked No. 8 and Nelson is No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings.
Nelson, who has won three straight fights a nearly two years ago, most recently suffered a knockout loss to Mark Hunt in September. The 38-year-old former IFL champion and “The Ultimate Fighter 10″ champion is now 1-3 in his past four fights, which also included losses to Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic.
He now meets Overeem, who knocked out Stefan Struve this past month to rebound from a recent 1-3 skid. After the knockout victory, the 34-year-old former Strikeforce champion and K-1 world grand prix champ said he planned to take some time off but instead will have a relatively quick return to the cage.
The latest UFC 185 card now includes:
Champ Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael dos Anjos – for lightweight title
Roy Nelson vs. Alistair Overeem
Two of the heavyweight division’s hardest hitters will meet in March at UFC 185.
Roy Nelson (20-10 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and fellow vet Alistair Overeem (38-14 MMA, 3-3 UFC) have agreed to meet at the show. UFC officials today announced the fight.
UFC 185 takes place March 14 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. As recently announced, UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (18-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) meets Rafael dos Anjos (23-7 MMA, 12-5 UFC) in the headliner.
Overeem is ranked No. 8 and Nelson is No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings.
Nelson, who has won three straight fights a nearly two years ago, most recently suffered a knockout loss to Mark Hunt in September. The 38-year-old former IFL champion and “The Ultimate Fighter 10″ champion is now 1-3 in his past four fights, which also included losses to Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic.
He now meets Overeem, who knocked out Stefan Struve this past month to rebound from a recent 1-3 skid. After the knockout victory, the 34-year-old former Strikeforce champion and K-1 world grand prix champ said he planned to take some time off but instead will have a relatively quick return to the cage.
The latest UFC 185 card now includes:
Champ Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael dos Anjos – for lightweight title
Roy Nelson vs. Alistair Overeem
Props:
Coach E. No and Coach E. No
Shits getting even more serious with Jon Jones, apparently his post fight drug tests came back with extremely low T:E ratio. His ratio was .29/1 and people are thinking that was due to masking agents. A doctor on twitter responded to his results and said testosterone levels only naturally get that low if you have your testicles removed lol
mixedmartialarts.com also reported they have a source saying he hid under the cage at Greg Jackson's to get out of a random test back in November before the test on December 4th he got popped for cocaine on.
mixedmartialarts.com also reported they have a source saying he hid under the cage at Greg Jackson's to get out of a random test back in November before the test on December 4th he got popped for cocaine on.
Props:
Coach E. No and Coach E. No
lol now the Nevada Attorney General is trying to get Jon Jones for perjury cause he possibly lied under oath about how he lost his Nike sponsorship. Everybody is trying to drop the hammer on dude.
Nevada deputy attorney general reviewing whether or not Jon Jones lied at hearing - MMA Fighting
Jon Jones told the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) in September that he lost his Nike endorsement due to a brawl he had with Daniel Cormier during a press event in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Last week, Jones backtracked from that statement and now the Nevada deputy attorney general is reviewing whether or not Jones perjured himself under oath at the hearing, MMAFighting.com has learned.
NAC executive director Bob Bennett said the commission is aware of Jones' comments prior to UFC 182 and the matter has been sent up the ladder.
"They're considering it for review," Bennett said. "It's nothing new to us.
"It would be concerning if anyone lied during testimony."
This is a separate issue for Jones than the one that surfaced Tuesday. Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites in an out-of-competition drug test taken Dec. 4. On Tuesday, Jones announced he would be entering into a drug-treatment facility. This comes just days after Jones successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight title against Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 on Jan. 3.
Nevada follows the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which stipulates that cocaine metabolites are not prohibited out of competition, only in competition. Therefore, Jones faced no immediate disciplinary action from the commission. Jones took a test one week later and was clean.
A source told MMAFighting.com that the failed test could come up the next time Jones applies for a license. Christopher Eccles, a Nevada deputy attorney general, could not comment on whether the two situations -- the failed drug test and alleged lying under oath -- would affect Jones fighting in the state in the future.
"That's something that will have to be looked at in conjunction with Bob Bennett," Eccles said.
When asked by the NAC in September if there were any ramifications to the brawl with Cormier, Jones said he lost sponsors and then confirmed it was Nike. Jones' lawyer Ofir Ventura said the contract was "over six figures" per year.
"It's pretty damaging if you really consider it," Ventura said.
The commission's decision for discipline on Jones and Cormier for the scuffle was shaped by whether or not there were outside consequences. Cormier said one of the youth wrestlers he coached left his program due to the incident. Jones ended up being fined $50,000 and was tasked with 40 hours of community service in the Las Vegas area. Cormier was fined $9,000 and ordered to do 20 hours of community service in Las Vegas.
Last week on a media conference call, Jones backed off his claims that he lost the Nike deal due to the brawl. Jones said he and Nike made a mutual choice to part ways months before he and Cormier got into it in the MGM Grand lobby.
"When I was in front of the commission, I definitely worded it wrong," Jones said. "Nike did not drop me because of that fight and I kind of owe an apology to Nike for saying they dropped me because of the fight. They actually didn't. Nike has been known to support its athletes through much worse things than a brawl in the middle of MGM [Grand]."
Jones clarified his statement further after UFC 182 open workouts Dec. 31, saying that he didn't lie to the NAC: the brawl "sped up" his split with Nike and he lost money in the process.
"I had like thousands of dollars of credit left on my Nike account that I never got to spend," Jones said. "I had several months of monthly revenue money that I never got to receive. ... So I lost several thousand dollars because of that fight, so technically that fight was the reason for thousands of dollars being out of my bank that I couldn't receive. So technically, they have nothing to come back on me for."
Evidently, that will be up to the Nevada deputy attorney general. Bennett said the issue could be brought up at a future NAC hearing depending on the findings.
Nevada deputy attorney general reviewing whether or not Jon Jones lied at hearing - MMA Fighting
Jon Jones told the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) in September that he lost his Nike endorsement due to a brawl he had with Daniel Cormier during a press event in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Last week, Jones backtracked from that statement and now the Nevada deputy attorney general is reviewing whether or not Jones perjured himself under oath at the hearing, MMAFighting.com has learned.
NAC executive director Bob Bennett said the commission is aware of Jones' comments prior to UFC 182 and the matter has been sent up the ladder.
"They're considering it for review," Bennett said. "It's nothing new to us.
"It would be concerning if anyone lied during testimony."
This is a separate issue for Jones than the one that surfaced Tuesday. Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites in an out-of-competition drug test taken Dec. 4. On Tuesday, Jones announced he would be entering into a drug-treatment facility. This comes just days after Jones successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight title against Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 on Jan. 3.
Nevada follows the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which stipulates that cocaine metabolites are not prohibited out of competition, only in competition. Therefore, Jones faced no immediate disciplinary action from the commission. Jones took a test one week later and was clean.
A source told MMAFighting.com that the failed test could come up the next time Jones applies for a license. Christopher Eccles, a Nevada deputy attorney general, could not comment on whether the two situations -- the failed drug test and alleged lying under oath -- would affect Jones fighting in the state in the future.
"That's something that will have to be looked at in conjunction with Bob Bennett," Eccles said.
When asked by the NAC in September if there were any ramifications to the brawl with Cormier, Jones said he lost sponsors and then confirmed it was Nike. Jones' lawyer Ofir Ventura said the contract was "over six figures" per year.
"It's pretty damaging if you really consider it," Ventura said.
The commission's decision for discipline on Jones and Cormier for the scuffle was shaped by whether or not there were outside consequences. Cormier said one of the youth wrestlers he coached left his program due to the incident. Jones ended up being fined $50,000 and was tasked with 40 hours of community service in the Las Vegas area. Cormier was fined $9,000 and ordered to do 20 hours of community service in Las Vegas.
Last week on a media conference call, Jones backed off his claims that he lost the Nike deal due to the brawl. Jones said he and Nike made a mutual choice to part ways months before he and Cormier got into it in the MGM Grand lobby.
"When I was in front of the commission, I definitely worded it wrong," Jones said. "Nike did not drop me because of that fight and I kind of owe an apology to Nike for saying they dropped me because of the fight. They actually didn't. Nike has been known to support its athletes through much worse things than a brawl in the middle of MGM [Grand]."
Jones clarified his statement further after UFC 182 open workouts Dec. 31, saying that he didn't lie to the NAC: the brawl "sped up" his split with Nike and he lost money in the process.
"I had like thousands of dollars of credit left on my Nike account that I never got to spend," Jones said. "I had several months of monthly revenue money that I never got to receive. ... So I lost several thousand dollars because of that fight, so technically that fight was the reason for thousands of dollars being out of my bank that I couldn't receive. So technically, they have nothing to come back on me for."
Evidently, that will be up to the Nevada deputy attorney general. Bennett said the issue could be brought up at a future NAC hearing depending on the findings.
Lyoto Machida vs. Luke Rockhold set for UFC on FOX 15 main event in Newark
The UFC’s return to New Jersey in April has its main event – an oft-rumored middleweight matchup between a pair of former champs.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion and recent middleweight title challenger Lyoto Machida (22-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) will meet former Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in the UFC on FOX 15 main event.
Rockhold today announced the five-round bout on his Instagram feed.
UFC on FOX 15 takes place April 18 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card will air on FOX after prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
The event will be the UFC’s sixth at Prudential Center, though it will be the first visit to that venue on free TV. The five previous shows have been pay-per-views.
Machida got back in the win column in December when he stopped C.B. Dollaway with a “Performance of the Night” TKO in just 62 seconds in Brazil. Prior to that, following a light heavyweight loss to Phil Davis, he dropped to middleweight and won two straight fights to get a shot at champ Chris Weidman. But Weidman took a unanimous decision in the UFC 175 main event.
Still, as a middleweight, Machida, who won the light heavyweight belt in May 2009, has four post-fight bonuses in his four bouts at the weight class.
Rockhold has won three straight fights since a knockout loss to Vitor Belfort in his UFC debut after moving over as the Strikeforce champ. He picked up a “Knockout of the Night” win over Costas Philippou a year ago, submitted Tim Boetsch at UFC 172, then submitted Michael Bisping in another bonus-winning victory in November.
The UFC’s return to New Jersey in April has its main event – an oft-rumored middleweight matchup between a pair of former champs.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion and recent middleweight title challenger Lyoto Machida (22-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) will meet former Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in the UFC on FOX 15 main event.
Rockhold today announced the five-round bout on his Instagram feed.
UFC on FOX 15 takes place April 18 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card will air on FOX after prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
The event will be the UFC’s sixth at Prudential Center, though it will be the first visit to that venue on free TV. The five previous shows have been pay-per-views.
Machida got back in the win column in December when he stopped C.B. Dollaway with a “Performance of the Night” TKO in just 62 seconds in Brazil. Prior to that, following a light heavyweight loss to Phil Davis, he dropped to middleweight and won two straight fights to get a shot at champ Chris Weidman. But Weidman took a unanimous decision in the UFC 175 main event.
Still, as a middleweight, Machida, who won the light heavyweight belt in May 2009, has four post-fight bonuses in his four bouts at the weight class.
Rockhold has won three straight fights since a knockout loss to Vitor Belfort in his UFC debut after moving over as the Strikeforce champ. He picked up a “Knockout of the Night” win over Costas Philippou a year ago, submitted Tim Boetsch at UFC 172, then submitted Michael Bisping in another bonus-winning victory in November.
Nate Diaz offers opinion on Jon Jones' rehab for cocaine – you won't be surprised
UFC lightweight Nate Diaz is no stranger to tension with his employer, and seldom does he hold back with his opinions.
So it should come as little surprise that the winner of Season 5 of “The Ultimate Fighter” offered up a bit of a contrarian opinion on the recent news that Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites and has entered rehab.
In a Wednesday tweet, Diaz, in a hashtag, implied the whole thing was a “publicity stunt” and said he “ain’t buyin’ it.” He also added hashtags of “ufcbullsh-t” and “bereal,” and cited a recent MMA Fighting story about UFC President Dana White suggesting Jones “should embrace being the bad guy.”
Jones, in a Dec. 4 drug test in Nevada, tested positive for the primary cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine. Because the test was considered an out-of-competition one, and because benzoylecgonine is not banned out of competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NSAC could not halt Jones from fighting at UFC 182 on Jan. 3.
At that event, Jones beat Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision. Three days later, the cocaine news went public.
Diaz has had a rocky recent past with the UFC. After more than a year on the sidelines, he returned in December at UFC on FOX 13 in Phoenix. Two days prior to the fight, he told MMAjunkie the company’s recent signing of CM Punk was a bad thing, saying, “F-ck him, f-ck the whole situation.” The next day, he badly missed weight for his co-main event against Rafael dos Anjos. Then he was dominated by dos Anjos, losing a unanimous decision.
UFC lightweight Nate Diaz is no stranger to tension with his employer, and seldom does he hold back with his opinions.
So it should come as little surprise that the winner of Season 5 of “The Ultimate Fighter” offered up a bit of a contrarian opinion on the recent news that Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites and has entered rehab.
In a Wednesday tweet, Diaz, in a hashtag, implied the whole thing was a “publicity stunt” and said he “ain’t buyin’ it.” He also added hashtags of “ufcbullsh-t” and “bereal,” and cited a recent MMA Fighting story about UFC President Dana White suggesting Jones “should embrace being the bad guy.”
Jones, in a Dec. 4 drug test in Nevada, tested positive for the primary cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine. Because the test was considered an out-of-competition one, and because benzoylecgonine is not banned out of competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NSAC could not halt Jones from fighting at UFC 182 on Jan. 3.
At that event, Jones beat Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision. Three days later, the cocaine news went public.
Diaz has had a rocky recent past with the UFC. After more than a year on the sidelines, he returned in December at UFC on FOX 13 in Phoenix. Two days prior to the fight, he told MMAjunkie the company’s recent signing of CM Punk was a bad thing, saying, “F-ck him, f-ck the whole situation.” The next day, he badly missed weight for his co-main event against Rafael dos Anjos. Then he was dominated by dos Anjos, losing a unanimous decision.
Anti-doping expert: With 'odd' testosterone readings, CIR test needed on Jones' sampl
Couched in the paperwork that UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites prior to his UFC 182 fight with Daniel Cormier is a figure that concerns an anti-doping expert and endocrinologist consulted by MMAjunkie.
Jones, who is now in rehab, thrice had his testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio measured as part of an out-of-competition drug test ordered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which oversaw UFC 182. The T/E ratio is used to tip off potential performance-enhancing drug use.
Jones’ ratios, obtained by MMAjunkie.com, were well below those of an average male which is 1 (or one part testosterone to one part epitesterone). On Dec. 4, it was .29 and .35, respectively, in two separate tests ordered by the commission (NSAC Executive Director Bob Bennett told MMAFighting.com that Jones’ initial urine sample was “watery” and requested another test). Two weeks later, it was .19, according to a document obtained by Yahoo! Sports.
The NSAC does not follow the standard set by the World Anti-Doping Agency when it comes to testing T/E ratios. WADA allows athletes to have up to a 4-to-1 ratio, while the NSAC allows a 6-to-1 ratio. In any case, Jones did not exceed the NSAC’s limit, and so his ratio was not flagged by the commission.
However, two experts told MMAjunkie said that while Jones’ ratio represents an incomplete picture, they said it is is “odd” and warrants further scrutiny.
MMAjunkie on Wednesday spoke to Don Catlin, an anti-doping expert and former head of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, and endocrinologist Jeffrey Brown, who runs a private practice in Houston.
Asked to interpret Jones’ ratios, Catlin’s immediate response was to question whether Jones had taken epitestosterone, the inactive component of testosterone, in order to lower his T/E ratio.
“That’s what will give a result like that,” he said. “The T/E ratio is the resultant of a ratio of testosterone over epitestosterone, so if you have a large amount of testosterone in the urine, you get a high T/E ratio. If you have a lot of epitestosterone, you will get a high epitestosterone (level). You can’t make a conclusion based on one value; you have to have both values.
“Those are pretty low values – I’d be pretty suspicious, but you can’t make much of it unless you can show that it was once high and then became low.”
Catlin and Brown disagreed on whether Jones’ T/E ratio could have become depressed due to excessive exertion, as would have been the case one month from his fight, when he was nearing his peak condition.
“It’s not affected by that,” Catlin. “We’ve done studies and we know that doesn’t alter the T/E ratio. What alters it is the amount of epitestosterone, and the value you have is well within the normal range. It’s normal, but it is a bit on the low side, and I would wonder. So I would go further and ask for a carbon isotope ratio test. That would tell you what’s really going on.”
Called CIR for short, the test detects the presence of synthetic testosterone in the body. It is typically a more expensive test, and in the case of the NSAC, is only ordered in the case of a positive result that is challenged.
Dr. Brown echoed Catlin’s observation that without some sort of baseline to compare Jones’ T/E ratios in the month leading up to this past Saturday’s UFC 182, it was difficult to make a conclusion as to why they were lower than the norm.
“Without knowing anything else, it’s odd,” Brown said. “I’d like to see another one, two weeks later. The ratio is so low.”
Catlin, however, said that a ratio such as Jones should trigger additional tests to determine how he got there.
“It’s a urinary test for testosterone,” he said. “You don’t even need to (measure) free and total (testosterone). Then take look at those values. They’re probably going to be normal. The most important test would be to do a carbon isotope ratio test, because if he is doing something, the carbon isotope test will show it.”
Despite his suspicions, Catlin said Jones’ T/E ratio could be “perfectly normal.” He added, however, that the agency that ordered the test needed to go further than simply measuring the ratio.
As to why the NSAC might not have looked further into the level, Catlin dismissed the idea that it was because Jones’ T/E was below 6-to-1.
“It’s probably because they didn’t know what they were doing,” he said. “They really don’t understand this thing at all. It’s way beyond them.”
Couched in the paperwork that UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites prior to his UFC 182 fight with Daniel Cormier is a figure that concerns an anti-doping expert and endocrinologist consulted by MMAjunkie.
Jones, who is now in rehab, thrice had his testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio measured as part of an out-of-competition drug test ordered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which oversaw UFC 182. The T/E ratio is used to tip off potential performance-enhancing drug use.
Jones’ ratios, obtained by MMAjunkie.com, were well below those of an average male which is 1 (or one part testosterone to one part epitesterone). On Dec. 4, it was .29 and .35, respectively, in two separate tests ordered by the commission (NSAC Executive Director Bob Bennett told MMAFighting.com that Jones’ initial urine sample was “watery” and requested another test). Two weeks later, it was .19, according to a document obtained by Yahoo! Sports.
The NSAC does not follow the standard set by the World Anti-Doping Agency when it comes to testing T/E ratios. WADA allows athletes to have up to a 4-to-1 ratio, while the NSAC allows a 6-to-1 ratio. In any case, Jones did not exceed the NSAC’s limit, and so his ratio was not flagged by the commission.
However, two experts told MMAjunkie said that while Jones’ ratio represents an incomplete picture, they said it is is “odd” and warrants further scrutiny.
MMAjunkie on Wednesday spoke to Don Catlin, an anti-doping expert and former head of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, and endocrinologist Jeffrey Brown, who runs a private practice in Houston.
Asked to interpret Jones’ ratios, Catlin’s immediate response was to question whether Jones had taken epitestosterone, the inactive component of testosterone, in order to lower his T/E ratio.
“That’s what will give a result like that,” he said. “The T/E ratio is the resultant of a ratio of testosterone over epitestosterone, so if you have a large amount of testosterone in the urine, you get a high T/E ratio. If you have a lot of epitestosterone, you will get a high epitestosterone (level). You can’t make a conclusion based on one value; you have to have both values.
“Those are pretty low values – I’d be pretty suspicious, but you can’t make much of it unless you can show that it was once high and then became low.”
Catlin and Brown disagreed on whether Jones’ T/E ratio could have become depressed due to excessive exertion, as would have been the case one month from his fight, when he was nearing his peak condition.
“It’s not affected by that,” Catlin. “We’ve done studies and we know that doesn’t alter the T/E ratio. What alters it is the amount of epitestosterone, and the value you have is well within the normal range. It’s normal, but it is a bit on the low side, and I would wonder. So I would go further and ask for a carbon isotope ratio test. That would tell you what’s really going on.”
Called CIR for short, the test detects the presence of synthetic testosterone in the body. It is typically a more expensive test, and in the case of the NSAC, is only ordered in the case of a positive result that is challenged.
Dr. Brown echoed Catlin’s observation that without some sort of baseline to compare Jones’ T/E ratios in the month leading up to this past Saturday’s UFC 182, it was difficult to make a conclusion as to why they were lower than the norm.
“Without knowing anything else, it’s odd,” Brown said. “I’d like to see another one, two weeks later. The ratio is so low.”
Catlin, however, said that a ratio such as Jones should trigger additional tests to determine how he got there.
“It’s a urinary test for testosterone,” he said. “You don’t even need to (measure) free and total (testosterone). Then take look at those values. They’re probably going to be normal. The most important test would be to do a carbon isotope ratio test, because if he is doing something, the carbon isotope test will show it.”
Despite his suspicions, Catlin said Jones’ T/E ratio could be “perfectly normal.” He added, however, that the agency that ordered the test needed to go further than simply measuring the ratio.
As to why the NSAC might not have looked further into the level, Catlin dismissed the idea that it was because Jones’ T/E was below 6-to-1.
“It’s probably because they didn’t know what they were doing,” he said. “They really don’t understand this thing at all. It’s way beyond them.”
Ken Shamrock announces April foray into bareknuckle boxing
WTF?!
UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock (28-15-2) has announced his next move in combat sports: a bareknuckle boxing match.
An announcement was made today on Shamrock’s official website, stating “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” will face “bareknuckle legend James Quinn” in an April 2015 bout to be held in the U.K.
No other details were released, but the statement contends the 50-year-old UFC pioneer is fight ready.
“Shamrock is in great health and feels invigorated by this opportunity to continue to compete and to continue giving back to his fans,” the statement read. “Shamrock is going back to his roots as a fighter. Knowing his body well, Shamrock knows that his decision to re-enter the ring for the love of this sport is a sound decision.
“Shamrock adamantly believes that age should never be a restriction to any athlete. People can do amazing feats past their prime, if it’s a priority to them.”
One of the UFC’s first superstars, Shamrock actually began his MMA career prior to UFC 1, competing three times under the Pancrase banner. His MMA career stretched for more than 17 years, with his final appearance taking place in a November 2010 bout under the King of the Cage banner.
While he’s spent the past four years on the sidelines, Shamrock’s team insists there are still great moments to come.
“With all his accomplishments in fighting, Shamrock is not done,” the statement reads. “Fighting is in his blood, and he still has the fire to do what he has always been passionate about.”
WTF?!
UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock (28-15-2) has announced his next move in combat sports: a bareknuckle boxing match.
An announcement was made today on Shamrock’s official website, stating “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” will face “bareknuckle legend James Quinn” in an April 2015 bout to be held in the U.K.
No other details were released, but the statement contends the 50-year-old UFC pioneer is fight ready.
“Shamrock is in great health and feels invigorated by this opportunity to continue to compete and to continue giving back to his fans,” the statement read. “Shamrock is going back to his roots as a fighter. Knowing his body well, Shamrock knows that his decision to re-enter the ring for the love of this sport is a sound decision.
“Shamrock adamantly believes that age should never be a restriction to any athlete. People can do amazing feats past their prime, if it’s a priority to them.”
One of the UFC’s first superstars, Shamrock actually began his MMA career prior to UFC 1, competing three times under the Pancrase banner. His MMA career stretched for more than 17 years, with his final appearance taking place in a November 2010 bout under the King of the Cage banner.
While he’s spent the past four years on the sidelines, Shamrock’s team insists there are still great moments to come.
“With all his accomplishments in fighting, Shamrock is not done,” the statement reads. “Fighting is in his blood, and he still has the fire to do what he has always been passionate about.”
Joseph Duffy, the last man to beat Conor McGregor, signs with UFC
While top featherweight contender Conor McGregor considers himself unbeatable, a man that knows otherwise is now on the UFC roster.
Irish media outlet TheScore.ie first reported that lightweight Joseph Duffy (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed on with the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion and is anticipating an early 2015 debut. MMAjunkie subsequently confirmed the signing with a UFC official.
Duffy began his professional MMA career in 2008, picking up back-to-back submission wins over current UFC fighters McGregor and Norman Parke. However, after suffering his first – and to date, only – MMA loss, Duffy stepped out of the cage in favor of a professional boxing career. “Irish Joe” returned to MMA in 2014, picking up two stoppage wins under the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship banner.
In August, Duffy told MMAjunkie Radio that witnessing McGregor’s meteoric rise certainly helped fuel his own desire for a return to the sport.
“Seeing how well those lads were getting on, it leaves some questions in your mind – ‘What if I stayed?'” Duffy told MMAjunkie Radio. “So I would definitely say that was a big part of it.”
Overall, Duffy has fought to a judges’ decision just once in his 13-fight MMA career and owns eight wins by submission and another three by knockout.
Duffy had one previous brush with the UFC, as he was selected as a contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter 12.” However, he was submitted by Kyle Watson in the elimination round.
While top featherweight contender Conor McGregor considers himself unbeatable, a man that knows otherwise is now on the UFC roster.
Irish media outlet TheScore.ie first reported that lightweight Joseph Duffy (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed on with the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion and is anticipating an early 2015 debut. MMAjunkie subsequently confirmed the signing with a UFC official.
Duffy began his professional MMA career in 2008, picking up back-to-back submission wins over current UFC fighters McGregor and Norman Parke. However, after suffering his first – and to date, only – MMA loss, Duffy stepped out of the cage in favor of a professional boxing career. “Irish Joe” returned to MMA in 2014, picking up two stoppage wins under the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship banner.
In August, Duffy told MMAjunkie Radio that witnessing McGregor’s meteoric rise certainly helped fuel his own desire for a return to the sport.
“Seeing how well those lads were getting on, it leaves some questions in your mind – ‘What if I stayed?'” Duffy told MMAjunkie Radio. “So I would definitely say that was a big part of it.”
Overall, Duffy has fought to a judges’ decision just once in his 13-fight MMA career and owns eight wins by submission and another three by knockout.
Duffy had one previous brush with the UFC, as he was selected as a contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter 12.” However, he was submitted by Kyle Watson in the elimination round.
seems Bones is legit.
NSAC Director Bennett: CIR Testing Done on Jones Sample, Came Back Clean | Bleacher Report
LAS VEGAS — In the wake of Jon Jones' failed test for cocaine metabolites, social media lit up with discussion over Jones' curious testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratios.
Victor Conte, the man who was famously involved with the BALCO doping scandal, took to social media to note that Jones' T/E ratio was out of line with the norm.
Mixed martial arts journalists like Bloody Elbow's Brent Brookhouse began pushing for the Nevada commission to perform Carbon Isotope Ratio testing on Jones' samples from the December 4 and December 18 drug tests:
“
Luckily, this is a situation where speculation could quickly be ended. Jon Jones' drug test samples still exist and a simple Carbon Isotope Ratio test could be conducted to find the result. Put simply, a CIR test would be able to determine if the testosterone in Jones' system was synthetic or natural.
”
But during a Thursday interview with Bleacher Report, Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett said that carbon isotope testing was indeed done on Jones' pre-fight drug tests, and that the results came back clean.
"CIT testing was done, and according to our doctor, none of the results were a concern," Bennett said when asked if carbon testing was done on the samples.
The CIR tests were conducted recently and results were returned to the commission on Thursday.
Bennett said that three tests were done during each of the random tests: urine, blood testing for human growth hormone and a blood passport test.
"The only negative was testing positive for cocaine metabolites," Bennett said. "We've gotten a litany of emails about the testosterone. We have a doctor we work with whose work has been impeccable for the last seven months. He does not have a concern on the last two tests."
Bleacher Report injury expert Will Carroll says that CIR testing would have revealed if Jones were taking exogenous (synthetic) testosterone.
"CIR (carbon isotope ratio) testing is a very technical technique that is very sensitive. Given the proper isotopic signatures, the test can very accurately detect the presence of a certain substance. In this case, that substance would be exogenous (non-natural) testosterone," Carroll said. "Given proper testing protocols, the test itself is unassailable. It wouldn't tell us anything else, but would be definitive for whether Jones was given testosterone in the time immediately preceding his fight.
"What CIR wouldn't tell you is whether any other substance was present. In most cases, CIR is done after a T/E ratio test. The T/E ratio is simple and cheap and when it gives a bad result, the normal protocol is to do the more accurate CIR testing. I have to assume that other substances would be tested for as part of the normal assay."
Bennett said the commission is awaiting results of the post-fight drug test administered to Jones after his win over Daniel Cormier at last Saturday's UFC 182 event, and that carbon isotope ratio testing will be done on those samples as well. Bennett expects those results to be returned in the next few days.
He also noted that the commission will be discussing Jones' issues during a Monday meeting in Las Vegas and that punishment for Jones is an option on the table despite Jones' failed cocaine metabolites test happening out of competition.
Bleacher Report has filed Freedom of Information Act requests for all of Jones' pre-fight drug test results—including results of the carbon isotope testing—and we'll update this story with more information once we receive them.
NSAC Director Bennett: CIR Testing Done on Jones Sample, Came Back Clean | Bleacher Report
LAS VEGAS — In the wake of Jon Jones' failed test for cocaine metabolites, social media lit up with discussion over Jones' curious testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratios.
Victor Conte, the man who was famously involved with the BALCO doping scandal, took to social media to note that Jones' T/E ratio was out of line with the norm.
Mixed martial arts journalists like Bloody Elbow's Brent Brookhouse began pushing for the Nevada commission to perform Carbon Isotope Ratio testing on Jones' samples from the December 4 and December 18 drug tests:
“
Luckily, this is a situation where speculation could quickly be ended. Jon Jones' drug test samples still exist and a simple Carbon Isotope Ratio test could be conducted to find the result. Put simply, a CIR test would be able to determine if the testosterone in Jones' system was synthetic or natural.
”
But during a Thursday interview with Bleacher Report, Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett said that carbon isotope testing was indeed done on Jones' pre-fight drug tests, and that the results came back clean.
"CIT testing was done, and according to our doctor, none of the results were a concern," Bennett said when asked if carbon testing was done on the samples.
The CIR tests were conducted recently and results were returned to the commission on Thursday.
Bennett said that three tests were done during each of the random tests: urine, blood testing for human growth hormone and a blood passport test.
"The only negative was testing positive for cocaine metabolites," Bennett said. "We've gotten a litany of emails about the testosterone. We have a doctor we work with whose work has been impeccable for the last seven months. He does not have a concern on the last two tests."
Bleacher Report injury expert Will Carroll says that CIR testing would have revealed if Jones were taking exogenous (synthetic) testosterone.
"CIR (carbon isotope ratio) testing is a very technical technique that is very sensitive. Given the proper isotopic signatures, the test can very accurately detect the presence of a certain substance. In this case, that substance would be exogenous (non-natural) testosterone," Carroll said. "Given proper testing protocols, the test itself is unassailable. It wouldn't tell us anything else, but would be definitive for whether Jones was given testosterone in the time immediately preceding his fight.
"What CIR wouldn't tell you is whether any other substance was present. In most cases, CIR is done after a T/E ratio test. The T/E ratio is simple and cheap and when it gives a bad result, the normal protocol is to do the more accurate CIR testing. I have to assume that other substances would be tested for as part of the normal assay."
Bennett said the commission is awaiting results of the post-fight drug test administered to Jones after his win over Daniel Cormier at last Saturday's UFC 182 event, and that carbon isotope ratio testing will be done on those samples as well. Bennett expects those results to be returned in the next few days.
He also noted that the commission will be discussing Jones' issues during a Monday meeting in Las Vegas and that punishment for Jones is an option on the table despite Jones' failed cocaine metabolites test happening out of competition.
Bleacher Report has filed Freedom of Information Act requests for all of Jones' pre-fight drug test results—including results of the carbon isotope testing—and we'll update this story with more information once we receive them.
UFC boss refutes mom's claim Jon Jones had one-night rehab stay for cocaine
A one-night stay in rehab for cocaine? UFC President Dana White has refuted that characterization of UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Earlier this week, Jones’ mom, Camille, told WBNG that her son stayed in a drug-rehabilitation center for just one night and that the 27-year-old titleholder will be at Sunday’s AFC Championship game to watch his brothers, Indianapolis Colts defensive end Arthur Jones and New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones, play against each other for a spot in the Super Bowl.
White, though, told the Boston Herald that Camille Jones’ characterization of an “overnight stay” was “not necessarily the case.”
“When the whole story comes out, people will understand,” White told the newspaper on Wednesday. “It will be put into perspective. When Jon Jones comes out and does his interview, the truth will come out, and everyone will understand. Or they won’t, you know. Jon is a very polarizing guy, people either love him or they hate him. Either way, the truth will come out soon.”
White didn’t elaborate, though.
Earlier this week, Jones’ mom said she was “glad” her son tested positive for cocaine metabolites because it could force him to get back on track and clean up his life.
The news of the failed test was revealed just three days after Jones (21-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) defended his belt with a unanimous-decision win over Daniel Cormier (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at UFC 182 on Jan. 3. The victory solidified Jones as the world’s top 205-pound and pound-for-pound fighter.
Upon news of the failed drug test, Jones issued a statement saying he was taking rehab “very seriously,” and in a statement, White said the organization was “proud” of Jones’ decision to seek help.
Because the test came outside of competition, Jones wasn’t subject to any official punishment from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the regulatory body wasn’t required to release the news of the test when it found out in late December, 11 days prior to the fight.
White told the Boston Herald the organization didn’t pull Jones from the card, in part, because of a potential lawsuit.
“You can bust guys, you can fine guys, but I can’t pull him out of a fight,” White said. “That thing will be in a lawsuit in 3.5 seconds, and I’ll lose. So then we don’t have a fight and I’ve still got to pay the money.”
A one-night stay in rehab for cocaine? UFC President Dana White has refuted that characterization of UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Earlier this week, Jones’ mom, Camille, told WBNG that her son stayed in a drug-rehabilitation center for just one night and that the 27-year-old titleholder will be at Sunday’s AFC Championship game to watch his brothers, Indianapolis Colts defensive end Arthur Jones and New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones, play against each other for a spot in the Super Bowl.
White, though, told the Boston Herald that Camille Jones’ characterization of an “overnight stay” was “not necessarily the case.”
“When the whole story comes out, people will understand,” White told the newspaper on Wednesday. “It will be put into perspective. When Jon Jones comes out and does his interview, the truth will come out, and everyone will understand. Or they won’t, you know. Jon is a very polarizing guy, people either love him or they hate him. Either way, the truth will come out soon.”
White didn’t elaborate, though.
Earlier this week, Jones’ mom said she was “glad” her son tested positive for cocaine metabolites because it could force him to get back on track and clean up his life.
The news of the failed test was revealed just three days after Jones (21-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) defended his belt with a unanimous-decision win over Daniel Cormier (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at UFC 182 on Jan. 3. The victory solidified Jones as the world’s top 205-pound and pound-for-pound fighter.
Upon news of the failed drug test, Jones issued a statement saying he was taking rehab “very seriously,” and in a statement, White said the organization was “proud” of Jones’ decision to seek help.
Because the test came outside of competition, Jones wasn’t subject to any official punishment from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the regulatory body wasn’t required to release the news of the test when it found out in late December, 11 days prior to the fight.
White told the Boston Herald the organization didn’t pull Jones from the card, in part, because of a potential lawsuit.
“You can bust guys, you can fine guys, but I can’t pull him out of a fight,” White said. “That thing will be in a lawsuit in 3.5 seconds, and I’ll lose. So then we don’t have a fight and I’ve still got to pay the money.”