The Doggy Bag: Helluva Drug Edition

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Everyone answers to somebody, so we, the staff at Sherdog.com, have decided to defer to our readers.

“The Doggy Bag” gives you the opportunity to speak about what is on your mind from time to time. Our reporters, columnists, radio hosts and editors will chime in with their answers and thoughts, so keep the emails coming.

With no UFC event, no Bellator MMA card, not even an offering from World Series of Fighting or One FC, this past week seemed like it was poised to be a slow news week for MMA. Then, late Tuesday afternoon, news broke that UFC light heavyweight champion and pound-for-pound king Jon Jones had tested positive for cocaine metabolites following a pre-fight test administered on Dec. 4 ahead of UFC 182 and all hell broke loose.

The first wave of conversation centered on the shock of the news, its impact on the sport and the UFC and Jones' simultaneous announcement to check into rehab. But, within hours, the Nevada Athletic Commission's highest officials had issued contradictory statements to reporters regarding when and why Jones was tested for recreational drugs, instigating a whole new topic of conversation on a familiar theme: athletic commission incompetence.

It's not like Jones was far removed from the headlines: he had just completed another brilliant championship performance days earlier at UFC 182, becoming the first man to defeat Daniel Cormier. It was an accomplishment that had folks asking whether or not “Jonny Bones” was already the greatest fighter of all-time. The sudden scandal has polarized opinions on Jones' emerging GOAT status even further.

Jon Jones is a complicated fighter and a complicated figure. Unsurprisingly, his positive cocaine test has created a profoundly prickly situation on many fronts and we're here to break it down.

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I like to think that I'm a big sports fan and so I have witnessed lots of athletes in football, soccer, basketball and other sports I love get caught up in the party lifestyle. I honestly believe Jones is different, though. He is the pound-for-pound champion of MMA and the biggest superstar the UFC has right now. How does Reebok feel about its deal with the UFC now? I don't think any company wants an athlete perceived as a cokehead to be the face of their brand. MMA is not the "cool" new sport any more and I suspect that Jones' image problems could move the UFC to where the NBA was 15 years ago, when people stopped watching because the league was perceived to be full of thugs and hooligans. The longer Jones and the UFC let the problem grow, the worse off the sport is. -- Tay from North Carolina

Tristen Critchfield, news editor: Biggest superstar in the UFC? Ask Dana White that question the next time Ronda Rousey fights. That said, Jones would appear to be integral to the UFC’s growth in 2015. As much fun as it is to discuss the potential return of Georges St. Pierre, Brock Lesnar and the like, the promotion needs stars who haven’t yet reached their 30th birthday, or, in the case of Rousey, aren’t a Hollywood flight risk. For all of his personal flaws, Jones fits that bill.

If you’re wondering how Reebok feels about the whole Jones debacle, the athletic apparel giant recently released a statement backing the light heavyweight champion:

“We commend Jon for taking the necessary steps to address this issue, and we will support him in any way we can. The status of Jon’s relationship with Reebok has not changed.”

The way I see it, Reebok needs Jones and the UFC as much as they need Reebok. I’m not sure what the cool kids in North Carolina are wearing right now, but in my neck of the woods, nobody is rushing out to get the latest Reebok [insert popular shoe line here]. From logo to overall marketing approach, Reebok appears to be revamping its brand, and the UFC is a major part of that. Unlike Nike or Adidas, both of which seem to have a limitless supply of big-ticket clients, Reebok is trying to be a major player again -- which is why they aren’t yet severing ties with Jones.

Although perception is unique to the individual, labeling Jones as a “cokehead” might be a tad bit presumptuous. Until we know more, it isn’t fair to say that Jones has an addiction. Personally, I’m more inclined to believe he has fallen into the party lifestyle, and as someone with money and fame, recreational drugs tend to be easily accessible. If that is the case, let’s hope for Jones’ sake that it does not escalate into something more sinister.

While I agree that MMA is no longer a novelty -- I sigh every time I hear the phrase, “World’s Fastest Growing Sport” -- one positive cocaine test will not make or break the UFC. Nose candy was an epidemic in professional sports in the 1980s, but it’s hard to imagine it derailing Zuffa today.

At most, Jones would only be responsible for carrying two to three of the Las Vegas-based promotion’s 47 events in 2015. Television ratings and pay-per-view buys are on the decline because of over saturation, injuries and fan indifference. If anything, people care more about Jones now than they ever did. A villain, even an unwilling one, can sell a lot of fights. As it is, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has already demonstrated that an athlete of less than stellar moral fiber can sell. And if he comes back contrite and reformed, Jones’ next bout could follow the always-popular rehabilitated athlete theme. Fans love a redemption tale.

The people who have stopped watching the UFC in recent months and years haven’t done so because of an image problem. Many of them have drifted away because the sport often lacks the excitement and intrigue it did at its peak. Each event comes and goes without so much as a tangible storyline. Jones, for better or worse, at least provides us with a juicy narrative to follow.

Continue Reading » Bones of Contention