27 Jun, 2019 13:06

UFC 239: Jon Jones cleared to fight by the Nevada State Athletic Commission

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones has cleared all the regulatory hurdles needed to compete at UFC 239 on Saturday, July 6 after being officially sanctioned to compete by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Jones has been licensed not just for his upcoming fight, but also for the remainder of 2019 after the fighter met all the requirements imposed on him by the commission before UFC 235 earlier in the year.

Jones has faced an increased drug testing schedule, and has given samples 30 times to NSAC, USADA and VADA over the course of 2019.

And anti-doping authorities confirmed that he has not re-ingested the banned substance DHCMT during that time. He had originally ingested the substance prior to UFC 200, and remnants of the substance have "pulsed" in his system in subsequent drug tests, causing test failures.

But further research confirmed that these failures were due to Jones' internal system, rather than any repeated ingestion of the substance.

Now cleared of any wrongdoing since UFC 200, Jones has been on a strict program of drug testing to monitor his system, and following a clean bill of health from testers, Nevada Comission executives voted to clear him to fight.

"He's been a consummate professional and given us his full co-operation," said NSAC executive director Bob Bonnett.

Jones will take his place at the top of the fight card on July 6, where he will face Brazilian knockout artist Thiago "Marreta" Santos in the world title main event.

The event is also set to feature a second world title fight, as two-division world champion Amanda Nunes puts her UFC women's bantamweight title on the line against former world champion Holly Holm.