UFC 235 | Anthony Smith responds to recent Jon Jones drug test findings
Yesterday afternoon, news surfaced that a pair of Jon Jones drug tests once again turned up traces of a metabolite of oral turinabol — though not enough to jeopardize the champ’s UFC 235 fight with Anthony Smith.
Speaking to the media shortly thereafter, Anthony Smith reacted to this latest Jon Jones controversy.
“It’s expected, I didn’t have any doubt in my mind,” Smith said (transcript via MMA Mania). “For whatever reason he tends to pulse when he gets close to a fight. I would’ve been more shocked if it wasn’t that. It is what it is. I talked to [NSAC director] Bob Bennett, and we’re good.
“I trust in Nevada State Athletic Commission,” Smith continued. “I don’t understand the science behind it, it doesn’t make any sense to any of us, right? But, we’re just regular people. So it doesn’t make sense to me. Bob Bennett has been doing this a long time and I just don’t think that he would put me in a position where someone starts with a head start.
“But that’s not me giving Jon a pass, you know? Obviously, there has been some sort of indiscretion there,” he added. “At some point in time, he has used PEDs and I don’t think we can argue that. But as far as now, I think Jon is a clean athlete.”
All that to say, Anthony Smith is taking this patch of pre-fight turbulence in stride. Do you think he’ll shock the world and defeat Jon Jones at UFC 235?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 3/1/2019.
