Jon Jones battled tears as he appeared in front of the media this afternoon and apologised to Daniel Cormier after failing a drugs test which rules him out of UFC 200 this Saturday.
Jones said that he would never use a performance enhancing drug and admitted he had not been in contact with Dana White since the news broke this morning.
"I haven’t had a chance to talk to [Daniel Cormier] but I just want to tell him that I’m sorry," he said, "I just want to tell him I’m sorry and that’s really it. I know this fight means a lot to him."
When asked whether or not he had been taking supplements during this training camp that he had not done previously he responded: "There are a few things that have nothing to do with performance that I’ve tried and whatever it is - I can’t even pronounce it, I’ve never heard of it. So right now I’m going through every single thing I’ve taken leading up to the fight. We’re in the process of getting this all figured out and seeing exactly where this came from."
Jones, at one point during the press conference, was forced to leave the room to compose himself and upon his return was asked how this could happen to an athlete at the very highest level of their sport.
"I was very aware that everything needed to be documented leading up to the fight. I didn’t really stress that whole thing and I know in my heart I would never take anything that would enhance me in any way. So I didn't really think this would happen.
"I didn't even think I was in a grey area regarding things that I would take... If I do have to stop for two years [to serve a doping ban] I'll certainly be back.
"I'm optimistic really, because at the end of the day I'm a fighter. Even though I seem broken-up up here, I'm not broken. I'm just really upset. I've been through a lot to get me to this point. I'm not going to let this slow me down."
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