One of the most anticipated fights in UFC history is going to have to wait. For awhile.
The UFC light heavyweight championship match between San Jose-based Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, which was scheduled to main event UFC 200 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, has been cancelled.
Jones, who was stripped of the 205-lb title in early 2015 after numerous run-ins with the law, was flagged for failed a drug test administered by USADA which he took on June 16. It is currently unknown what Jones has tested positive for. He could face a two-year suspension.
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Reports are that the UFC is trying to keep Cormier on the card, although it has been announced that a heavyweight bout between Brock Lesnar and Mark Hunt will be the new main event.
The UFC issued a statement Wednesday night:
The UFC organization was notified tonight that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Jon Jones of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection on June 16, 2016.
USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed.
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However, because Jones was scheduled to compete against Daniel Cormier this coming Saturday, July 9 in Las Vegas, there is insufficient time for a full review before the scheduled bout and therefore the fight has been removed from the fight card. As a result, the three-round heavyweight bout between Brock Lesnar and Mark Hunt will become the UFC 200 main event.
Consistent with all previous potential anti-doping violations, additional information or UFC statements will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.