The B sample for former UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been declared positive, matching the result of the earlier test that prompted the UFC to pull him from Saturday’s UFC 200 main event.
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Jon Jones is now innocent of any wrongdoing but even because he tested positive for a substance in the first place, it could be argued that UFC 200-the biggest show in the promotion’s near 23-year history-is forever tainted.
UFC president Dana White said several fighters volunteered to face Cormier, including Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi.
“Is there anything I can do? I’ll sign a release, and we can just fight?”
Anderson Silva will replace Jones against Daniel Cormier on Saturday. Thank you Anderson for stepping up, and thanks to Dana White and the UFC for making this happen.
Jones was removed from the UFC’s landmark card Wednesday night after the potential doping violation was first discovered in a sample taken June 16.
Silva was UFC middleweight champion from October 2006 until July 2013, defending his title in 10 fights – a UFC record.
Silva usually fights at 185 pounds, but he has been known to jump up to 205.
It will be a non-title fight at 205 pounds, lasting three rounds.
“I haven’t (talked to Jones), and I’m not gonna”, White said on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”, via CBSSports.com. The three-day notice is unheard of in the fight world, which is the same thing people said when Nate Diaz agreed to take on Conor McGregor on just 11 days’ notice.
“I haven’t trained in a few months, but I think I’m in good condition to go in there and put on a good fight”, a smiling Silva said through a translator.
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So now, following reports from both Globo and TMZ, it looks like Silva vs. Cormier will in fact be going down this weekend after all. He lost in February to Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 84 in London, and has gone 0-3-1 in his last four bouts. The heavyweight slugfest between Brock Lesnar and Mark Hunt will serve as the event’s co-headliner.
