UFC 232 Preview
This was going to be a card full of some of the most talented fighters in the history of the UFC plain and simple.
The main event was going to see many people’s pound-for-pound #1 return to re-hash his toughest fight ever.
Although Jones’ career has been put into doubt due to his multiple failed drug tests he still remains one of the most talented fighters to step into the octagon.
He was going to take on Alexander Gustafsson in the second fight between the two and a fight that people had been demanding for years.
The last tie they fought, many believed that Gustafsson had actually taken the win as he was in better shape at the end of the fight.
It was finally going to happen and both were going to make long-awaited returns with a tough fight after Gustafsson dealt with multiple injuries over the last year.
The co-main event was going to essentially determine the greatest female fighter ever between the reigning queen and the challenger.
Cris Justino is better known as Cyborg and she is widely considered the greatest female fighter in the world as she continues a winning streak that spans more than a decade.
Nobody has even come close to beating her but there is one fighter that many wanted to see take the challenge.
Current Bantamweight champion, Amanda Nunes has beat the best of the best and essentially cleaned out the bantamweight division.
If there was one person currently fighting who could have a shot it could be the woman who’s aggressive style took out the likes of Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm.
It was a fight that could quite literally solidify either fighter’s legacy as the greatest female fighter ever.
It was going to be a great card with plenty to talk about but the worst thing that could have happened did happen.
A week before the fight it was revealed that Jones had once again failed a drug test for the same steroid that he had failed for a year ago.
If there was one thing that had hurt Jones’ career it was always that he had failed multiple drug tests leaving some to wonder if he was as good as it seemed.
Was he good because of his skill set or was he using steroids throughout his career, making him one of the best fighters ever.
There is also the argument that he wasn’t the only one doing it and he still beat up everyone making him one of the best.
Still, it makes his legacy a complicated one like it has for other fighters who failed tests like Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort.
He remains a great fighter but there will always be an asterisk beside his name with some wondering what the steroids did to affect his career.
This latest failure seemed like the nail in the coffin for the fighter after facing an indefinite ban the last time he failed only to have it reduced when USADA determined that the trace amounts he tested for were consistent with Jones not knowingly consuming the substance.
After failing for the third time it would be expected that he was going to lose his fight and potentially never fight again.
That isn’t what happened though as the UFC and USADA went into damage control mode to fix the card.
After failing it was determined that the Nevada State Athletic Commission wasn’t going to certify jones to fight.
The UFC moved the card to California who said that they would be willing to certify Jones despite the failed test.
Part of that likely came from the fact that USADA claimed that the testing levels were consistent with the trace amounts that he had failed for a year ago.
In their eyes the failed test was just a result of his consumption, of course unwittingly, a year ago and that he would not be punished for the failed test.
Regardless of what actually happened and whatever the truth is this entire event looks terrible for everyone involved.
From the outside it looks like Jones failed another drug test, therefore seeming like he never stopped using, while the UFC and USADA just turned their gaze.
There have been plenty of criticism about UFC not really caring about drug testing if it gets in the way of the bottom line and roping USADA into the same thinking.
This only makes it seem worse as they both don’t want to see this failed drug test as it would hurt the UFC’s bottom line and the relationship between USADA and the UFC.
What was meant to be an amazing card with plenty of storylines to follow has turned into a circus that has been a main storyline all year.
The UFC will put on the fight and will see what happens afterwards but nobody is going to come out of this card looking great.
The Sport Addiction 