Post UFC 232: What's next for Jon Jones?
UFC 232 is in the books and Jon Jones ended the night with his arm raised in victory once more as he defeated Alexander Gustafsson for the second time to once again be crowned Light-Heavyweight Champion.
Jones, competing in his first fight since July 2017 due to a suspension for PED usage saw himself shrouded in controversy once more last week when a December drug test saw a residual amount of the banned substance Turinabol in his system still.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission wanted time to investigate the anomaly, time the UFC did not have with its final pay per view of the year looming.
In a bind, the company decided to relocate the event from Las Vegas to California, whose Athletic Commission was willing to allow Jones to compete saving the event's main event.
Jones was spiky in the pre-event news conference when questioned about his drug usage and UFC President, Dana White has been claiming that the low reading was a residual reading from his 2017 drug use.
However, a recent report suggests Jones had been clear of all traces of Turinabol and anything else in August, which makes White's claim somewhat questionable. There may yet be some fallout here.
So, what's next for Jones?
Well, immediately after his TKO win, Jones called out Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Cormier. A man he has also defeated twice although his second win was overturned to a No Contest, following positive drug tests for Turinabol.
That trilogy fight would be a blockbuster draw and could well occur. However, Cormier, who is only planning to fight once more before retirement, may not want the bout.
Cormier wants to fight current WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, stemming from their altercation at UFC 226. Cormier would likely want his last fight to have a degree of focus on him and not be part of the Jones sideshow.
If not Cormier, then it could well be Lesnar next up for Jones. The pair has spoken of their desire to fight many times and a bout between those two could well set a new UFC pay per view record.
That's assuming Jones can fight again in 2019 and that the anomaly in his drug test results are in fact just that, an anomaly. Time will tell.