Morning Report: Jon Jones to UFC light heavyweights: 'I got in that a** fair and square'

By Jed Meshew@JedKMeshew Oct 25, 2016, 8:00am EDT

Jon Jones' appeal has new life and seemingly, so does he.

Last week, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and No. 1 contender Anthony Johnson spoke with TSN, calling Jones "irrelevant" so long as he continues to have outside-the-cage issues. It was a continuation of both men's stance that they and the 205-pound division cannot be held in paralysis while Jones continues to have problems which prevent him from fighting. The interview prompted Jones to call the two men out on Twitter for "talking shit."

Can't wait to get back and slap one of these light heavyweights, even on the sidelines I'm more relevant than anyone in that division.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 20, 2016

You boys know when we all retire you will just be known as one of my contenders, easy for y'all to talk that shit when daddy ain't home
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 20, 2016

Eye pokers turned twitter fingers
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 20, 2016

DC I'll always be that "normal guy" who worked your ass
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 20, 2016

And AJ you calling my out of the cage problems amazing is almost hysterical. Trying to shit on me doesn't make you look anymore like a saint
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 20, 2016

Don't start no shit won't be no shit
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 20, 2016

Of course, Jones is unable to "get back and slap" either one of the men because he is currently under temporary suspension for failing a USADA drug test before UFC 200. However, as reported Monday, Jones' attorney Howard Jacobs recently said that USADA independently confirmed that a supplement which Jones was taking before UFC 200 was in fact tainted with clomiphene and letrozole, the two banned substances Jones was flagged for. In light of this news, Jacobs said that in Jones' upcoming arbitration hearing on October 31, he believes Jones' sentence will be significantly reduced, hopefully to just a warning.

Given this turn of events, Jones took to Twitter last night with renewed ire for his light heavyweight compatriots.

That's right light heavyweight division, this means I got in that ass fair and square. I heard your interviews.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

Steroids didn't give me the believe that I am the baddest fm on this planet
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

It didn't give me the heart to pull off victories in the last minutes of championship fights.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

Steroids will never give you a high IQ of the game. It won't increase your awareness or your timing.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

It won't make you more technical
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

It didn't give me the idea to set my mind to a goal, to follow my dreams and bust my ass every day in the gym.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

I know that I've earned every inch of my success, every match ever won
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

Jones has maintained his innocence since being flagged by USADA back in July, and in August, he alluded to this tainted supplement situation, hinting that he would "be back soon." He still has to face his arbitration with USADA and a hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission but it's possible Jones will indeed be back much sooner than previously thought.

Even if Jones does come back early next year though, the question will always be: how long until he does something else that derails his career? He has had multiple outside-the-cage issues that are varied and well documented and at this point his actions have become expected rather than anomalous. But by the sound of it, Jones might have learned his lesson from this unfortunate event.

Earning this high place in sports gives me the confidence and courage to know that I can do the same in my life
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

I know that I have something extremely powerful inside of me, I have the power to achieve anything I set my mind to.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

Knowing this helps me not worry when times get rough, I am more than a conqueror. I have what it takes to win
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 24, 2016

Here's hoping the man learned his lesson.

Jones' USADA arbitration is set for October 31 and his NSAC disciplinary hearing is set for November 10.

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Honor. Brad Pickett says he is "honored" to be Urijah Faber's final fight.

USADA. Lyman Good has been flagged by USADA and is out of his UFC 205 fight with Belal Muhammad.

Kimbo Jr. Kevin Ferguson Jr.'s Bellator debut now targeted for next month in San Jose.

EXTRA CREDIT

World domination. Eric Stinton talks about the UFC's plan to scale back their global expansion.

MEDIA STEW

Relive T-Wood taking the belt.

Fight Network previews of Tim Kennedy-Rashad Evans.

Here's Jonny

McGregor's champ series is back again.

A long one but good. Full length documentary on Heather Jo Clark.

LISTEN UP

I spoke with Show the Art about UFC 205 and general fisticuff discussion.

Anik and Flo

Brit Pack

TWEETS

KZ wants a fight.

@bjpenndotcom Hello?
— Chan Sung Jung (@KoreanZombieMMA) October 24, 2016

@bjpenndotcom How are you??
— Chan Sung Jung (@KoreanZombieMMA) October 24, 2016

Ruthless...and accurate.

Girls giving interviews, then when the contract comes they be like...@ufc_brasil https://t.co/EVhDibLsJ4
— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) October 24, 2016

Sam Alvey is a strange dude.

@spartanlife32 @ufc dude you got an early release! I'm stuck here in training the Cali Mnts waiting for moon to come out #smh pic.twitter.com/uBC0pGgiD0
— Sam Alvey (@smilensam) October 24, 2016

Nothing awful said. Good work.

@smilensam @ufc lol ran up a mountain today I'm not sensitive I'd train with you and then wecould beat each other up. Enjoy Pokémon c u soon
— Alex Nicholson (@spartanlife32) October 24, 2016

Unnatural indeed.

Myself and @lymangoodmma training like the unnatural beasts we are. #Ufc #Msg #Albany #SteelSharpeningSteel #READY~ pic.twitter.com/zSLjf5s8jx
— Oluwale Bamgbose (@HolyWarAngelMMA) October 24, 2016

Dec 10th #ufc206 no idea why people are complaining you'll be missing out #FOTN #POTN I ain't playing touch butt
— Mitch Gagnon (@MitchGagnonUFC) October 25, 2016

Neat.

Training with @zach_makovsky yesterday. He showed me a crazy awesome choke. I really didn't expected that!pic.twitter.com/YebTiswgZw
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) October 23, 2016

Honestly, wonder who has the cans he threw? That's a cool piece of memorabilia.

The Limited edition $75k a piece @monsterenergy can's are available in stores NOW! Hit up @hansmolenkamp for these limited edition cans that will take the head clean off your shoulders! Only while stocks last

A photo posted by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on Oct 24, 2016 at 11:15am PDT

#reebokcombat #fightformore

A photo posted by Sage Northcutt (@supersagenorthcutt) on Oct 23, 2016 at 6:44pm PDT

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kyle Noke (22-9-1) vs. Omari Akhmedov (15-4-0); UFC Fight Night 101, November 27.

Frankie Perez (10-2-0) vs. Marc Diakiese (10-0-0); UFC Fight Night 102, December 9.

Louis Smolka (11-2-0) vs. Ray Borg (9-2-0); UFC 207, December 30.

Marlon Moraes (17-4-1) vs. Josenaldo Silva (25-4-0); WSOF 34, December 31.

TODAY IN MMA HISTORY

2008: In what would be the first in a set of weird fights for the GOAT, Anderson Silva defeated Patrick Cote via TKO when Cote injured his knee in the third round of the main event of UFC 90. In the co-main event, Thiago Alves cemented his shot at the welterweight title by winning a unanimous decision over Josh Koscheck.

2014: Jose Aldo retained his UFC featherweight championship when he won his rematch with Chad Mendes via unanimous decision at UFC 179.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Having a built in loophole that is damn near ubiquitous for fighters makes the whole USADA thing pretty absurd. Personally, I don't think JBJ intentionally took anything he knew was banned but regardless, it's too easy for every fighter to blame a failed test on a tainted supplement. And that's not even getting into the argument about whether USADA should punish intent or result in the first place. Long story short, this thing needs to either go to a zero tolerance policy or be overhauled in a major way. Or better yet, quit fighting a losing battle and let them take whatever they want. The war on PEDs is costly and isn't a winning proposition. Besides, in the words of the immortal Diaz brothers:

That's all folks!

If you find something you'd like to see in the Morning Report, just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and let me know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram and add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting because we post dope things and you should enjoy them.