Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titlist Jon Jones is the most tested athlete across all sports in the previous year.
Regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists to set foot in the Octagon, Jones returned to action in December 2018 since he was stripped of his UFC title after testing positive to performance-enhancing drugs.
He defeated Alexander Gustafsson in their rematch to reclaim the 205-pound strap before he successfully defended it against Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos respectively.
On Saturday, Jones will go for this third-straight title-retention bid as he takes on the undefeated Dominick Reyes in the main event of UFC 247.
Ahead of this fight, it was revealed that ‘Bones’ had the most number of no-notice drug tests in 2019 in any sport.
“In 2019, @JonnyBones was subject to 42 no-notice drug tests by 3 separate entities (USADA, CSAC and NSAC),” UFC executive Jeff Novitzky shared on Monday.
“In my 20 years experience in the anti-doping world, this is the highest volume of yearly tests that I have ever seen on one athlete, in any sport.”
In 2019, @JonnyBones was subject to 42 no-notice drug tests by 3 separate entities (USADA, CSAC and NSAC). In my 20 years experience in the anti-doping world, this is the highest volume of yearly tests that I have ever seen on one athlete, in any sport.
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) February 3, 2020
Nothing To Hide
The light heavyweight champ welcomes the record he set last year and said these drug tests will help him clear his name from the doping issue.
“At one point in 2019, I did almost 30 drug tests with USADA alone,” Jones revealed (per MMA Junkie).
“I also had two other drug testing agencies that were drug testing me. With USADA alone, I was one of the most heavily drug-tested athletes in all of sports.”
“Include in the other agencies, the Nevada Athletic Commission and the California State Athletic Commission, I know for a fact no one has been drug tested more than me.”
“What that shows is that I’m willing to prove this whole situation I was in was never intentional. I think it’s proof I had nothing to hide.”
“It also proves my willingness to try to make things easier for fighters in the future.”
Redemption
While the doping scandal has put his name on the bad light for a long time, Jones said doing multiple drug tests is the best way to redeem his reputation.
“This whole situation damaged my situation tremendously. I feel like the only way I can make it right is being totally transparent with the fans (and) with the drug testers.”
“I’ll tell you what. People with things to hide, they don’t submit themselves to that level of drug testing. I think that’ll help with my reputation over time.”
The MMA great also said he doesn’t care about what internet trolls say about his past.
“A lot of the guys saying dumb stuff online, they’re usually the guys that have no profile picture.”
“They’re just saying something to get a reaction. True critics – the guys that are actually reading the articles and reading exactly what happened and what went down – those are really the only people I care to see what’s really going on.”
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Jon Jones and YouTube/ MMA Fighting)