Morning Report: Daniel Cormier reacts to Jon Jones' USADA comments, says 'you can't rewrite history'

13/10/2023 13:00

USADA and the UFC are bidding farewell to one another and some are more happy about it than others.

Both entities have gone back and forth this week, beginning with a public statement from USADA CEO Travis Tygart that revealed that the partnership will end on Dec. 31, 2023. UFC CBO Hunter Campbell and Senior Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky announced yesterday that the promotion will continue drug testing protocols going forward, it will just do so with Drug Free Sport International (DFSI) rather than USADA. State-by-state athletic commission testing will also remain a constant.

One of the more notable relieved parties to react to the news was current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who had several run-ins with USADA. Unfortunately for "Bones," he essentially lost his light heavyweight title to USADA in 2017 after scoring a second-round head kick and punches knockout against Daniel Cormier. The result was overturned days after the event as Jones tested positive for a turinabol metabolite, spurring the whole picogram controversy.

"Man I survived USADA," Jones tweeted yesterday. "First they said I was guilty of having picograms, then they considered me innocent, next picograms became legal. Guess what I'm still here, still unbeaten. That BS no-contest over DC needs to be taken off my record. I've never cheated this sport and I will stand by that until the Day I die. [goat emoji]."

The incident at UFC 214 for his Cormier rematch wasn't Jones' first issue involving PEDs as he and Cormier were originally supposed to rematch at UFC 200 in July 2016. That was until Jones tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole, canceling the bout on a few days' notice. As a result, Anderson Silva replaced him, losing a unanimous decision. Seeing things currently unfold, Cormier can't help but disagree with his old rival.

"People will try to rewrite history. You can't rewrite history," Cormier said on his YouTube channel. "There's gonna be a time — it was multiple times [he tested positive] — you can try to rewrite history and it'll be like during baseball there was the steroid era and all those guys don't get to go into the Hall of Fame. Will we look back on 2015 to 2023 as the USADA era? And will these guys that had these things deal with issues going forward in terms of tainting their resume, especially if someone that is middling now becomes an absolute superstar after USADA is gone?"

While he's only fought five times since the Cormier rematch, Jones has stayed out of trouble with USADA and will only have one more fight during the regime as he defends his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 next month.

Cormier and Jones have been cordial since Jones' return earlier this year when he captured the heavyweight crown with a first-round guillotine choke over Ciryl Gane. However, the all-time great may have some words for "DC" come fight week in New York City.

"We have a short memory as MMA fans," Cormier said. "Our memory is super short. But let me say this, you don't get to rewrite history. You don't get to say — well, first off, I don't believe that it's all true. This is one of the reasons Jones and I could never just truly come to a common ground because sometimes you just say whatever you want.

"Dude, I'd said on TV that I could throw a 90-mile-an-hour fastball. When I really tried to throw a fastball it was like 65 miles an hour. My shoulder was hurting for days. But the reality is I could just say it. You can just say whatever you want, doesn't always have to be true."

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VIDEO STEW

Between the Links.

Greatest hits: Sodiq Yusuff.

Chimaev's undefeated ways.

Free fight.

OAM's journey.

Rapid Rounds: Maia vs. Modafferi.

Early breakdown.

MORNING MUSIC

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Ren.

Birthdays!

Slapper.

Spain.

Juicy.

Didn't expect this.

Had to get in the Superman punch.

The young champ.

Return.

Well played.

Combos.

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scott Askham (19-6) vs. Marc Doussis (9-2, 1 NC); Oktagon 48, Nov. 4

Alonzo Menifield (14-3-1) vs. Dustin Jacoby (19-7-1); UFC 296, Dec. 16

Chris Curtis (30-10, 1 NC) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (16-6, 1 NC); UFC 297, Jan. 20

FINAL THOUGHTS

"DC's" response is so comically perfect to what Jones said. Oh, man. Can't wait for their boxing match in 2030.

Happy Friday, friends! Have a great weekend and we'll see you next week. Thanks for reading!

EXIT POLL

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