UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov's doping test update has fans searching for hidden meaning
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has taken to his official social media account to post an update regarding his most recent USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) test.
Nurmagomedov asserted that since 2015 (the year USADA testing commenced in the UFC), he has been tested 47 times by USADA.
This, in turn, has set the MMA community abuzz with speculation as to whether Nurmagomedov’s social media post could be a jibe at Jon Jones.
The Eagle vs. Bones
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jon Jones are widely regarded as two of the greatest fighters of all time. Their accomplishments in the sport of MMA and combat sports as a whole are undeniably outstanding, making both UFC legends bona fide contenders for the title of the MMA GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).
Ever since Nurmagomedov beat Justin Gaethje in their UFC lightweight title unification clash in October of this year, many in the MMA world have been hailing Nurmagomedov as the MMA GOAT.
However, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jones has consistently hit out at Nurmagomedov and the latter’s fans on social media.
Jones has strongly disagreed with Nurmagomedov being called the MMA GOAT, and has claimed that his MMA resume is far superior to that of his Russian counterpart.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones, Jones’ failed PED tests, and the AKA connection
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from the sport of MMA after beating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020.
Akin to Nurmagomedov, another legendary MMA fighter who bid adieu to the sport this year is former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.
Cormier, a former UFC double champion, retired from MMA after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic in August of this year.
Nurmagomedov and Cormier, alongside former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and former UFC middleweight titlist Luke Rockhold, trained together at the world-renowned AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) gym in San Jose, California, USA.
Nurmagomedov and Cormier have been training partners for many years and are close friends outside the gym as well, as a result of which Nurmagomedov has often been at loggerheads with Cormier’s nemesis Jon Jones.
Cormier has been engaged in a long-running, extremely personal, and intense rivalry against Jones. Both DC and Bones have fought one another twice over the course of their careers, with the UFC light heavyweight title on the line on both occasions.
Jones beat Cormier via unanimous decision in their first fight that took place at UFC 182 in January 2015.
Their rematch transpired at UFC 214 in July 2017, with Jones beating Cormier via KO (head kick and punches). However, the result of this matchup was later overturned to a No Contest (NC) owing to Jones testing positive for the banned PED (Performance Enhancing Drug) turinabol.
One ought to note that this wasn’t the first time Jones tested positive for a banned PED, as he’d tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole prior to the aforementioned UFC 214 rematch against Cormier.
Furthermore, the MMA world is well aware of the infamous story, first narrated by MMA veteran Chael Sonnen and later confirmed by Jon Jones himself, regarding Jones hiding under a cage at his gym to avoid a drug test.
While Sonnen and many others have alleged that Jones hid under the cage to avoid being caught with banned PEDs in his system, Jones recently claimed that he had used marijuana at the time and was worried that he would test positive for marijuana. This was apparently why he chose to hide under the cage.
Moreover, Jones once again tested positive for turinabol, this time around for an ultratrace amount of turinabol before his UFC 232 fight against Alexander Gustafsson in December 2018. The investigating authorities eventually discovered that the trace amount was present due to the long-term “pulsing effect” of the M3 metabolite that was found in his system in 2017.
Khabib’s fans, as well as many experts in the combat sports world, have lately been highlighting Jones’ history of PED test failures. They claim that since Nurmagomedov has never failed a doping test for banned PEDs, he, rather than Jones, deserves the title of MMA GOAT.
The Eagle’s latest Instagram post is said to echo similar sentiments. Khabib took to Instagram and posted a picture of his latest USADA test, stating:
Also Read: How Much Does Khabib Nurmagomedov Earn?
“This is 47 times since 2015, as I have been tested for doping of Usada. Just think about this number.”
What are your views on Nurmagomedov’s post? Do you believe Nurmagomedov is taking a jibe at Jon Jones? Sound off in the comments.