Dana White, about UFC 182 main fight: 'Jon Jones had the right to fight'

Dana White, president of the UFC. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

After the surprising news of doping Jon Jones, which shocked the MMA world last Tuesday (6), the big question that arose among fans is why the UFC didn't cancel the champion's fight against Daniel Cormier, at UFC 182, as there was a positive test carried out weeks before the fight.

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Ultimate president Dana White explained that there were no legal reasons for the fight to be cancelled. Due to the fact that, according to WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) regulations, recreational drugs are not prohibited outside the competition period (i.e., 12 hours before the fight), the contract could not be canceled. The story would be different if the accused doping was, for example, an anabolic substance.

“There were no talks to postpone the fight. Firstly because he is healthy; second, we could only have canceled the fight if he had tested positive for substances that improve an athlete's performance. What people need to understand is that he had a contract to fight. Everyone thinks we could have simply canceled the fight, but he had the right to fight”, explained White, in an interview with the “UFC Tonight” program, on the North American broadcaster “FOX Sports”.

According to the manager, his concern at the moment is Jones' current state of health. “I care about the person, first and foremost. I forget about the fighter and the labor side and worry about the person Jon Jones”, He explained.

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