Anthony Smith isn’t going to vilify Jon Jones after his newest drug testing state of affairs.
Jones, 36, was alleged to have threatened Drug Free Sport Worldwide (DFSI) throughout a random go to in March 2024. Final Combating Championship’s (UFC) Heavyweight champion entered a plea deal after being handed a pair of misdemeanors this week.
Regardless of United States Anti-Doping Company (USADA) now not working with UFC, longtime fighters have change into acquainted with the method. Understanding how Jones is, as certainly one of his previous opponents, Smith sympathizes with “Bones’” scenario.
“I form of caught up for him at the start of it as a result of it’s a ache within the ass to do the entire drug-testing factor,” Smith stated on Imagine You Me (h/t MMA Combating). “I’ve at all times been fortunate that my drug testers have at all times been fairly cool. They’re pretty respectful of your time, they’re pretty respectful of the inconvenience that they’re creating for you. In order that they at all times present up like, ‘Hey, I do know it’s not the most effective time, sorry, let me get this pattern and we’ll get out of right here.’
“However I’ve had one, I’ve had them earlier than — not right here at dwelling or in Denver, however simply been out someplace and so they discover this random individual, any individual you’ve by no means had earlier than, and generally they are often assholes,” he continued. “They’ve this energy journey or some type of energy over you want they wish to boss you round or level the finger at you.
“If he bought a kind of dangerous ones, I understood him — as a result of he’s slightly bit hot-headed at occasions — I can perceive him form of flipping out and going off,” Smith added. “And apparently he was having a celebration, so I believe he was ingesting and had some pals over. They present up, began to be assholes, form of being disrespectful at occasions — I might see him form of going off. However when you begin touching individuals and taking their telephones and stuff, that’s an issue. But when [they’re] being an asshole to him, then it’s form of in his proper. That’s not unlawful.”
The previous UFC Gentle Heavyweight champion, Jones, efficiently defended that division’s title for the ninth complete time when he defeated Smith through a unanimous resolution at UFC 235 in March 2019. Jones formally moved to Heavyweight when he earned a primary spherical guillotine choke victory over Ciryl Gane in March 2023 (watch highlights).
