NSAC: Brock Lesnar readying supplement defense, Jon Jones gets flack for delay

It appears Brock Lesnar is preparing a defense following his UFC 200 positive drug test.

In granting a continuance for Lesnar’s disciplinary hearing, the Nevada State Athletic Commission revealed that the ex-heavyweight champ is putting together a case after failing a pair of drug tests for the banned estrogen blocker clomiphene.

During an NSAC meeting today in Las Vegas, commissioner Pat Lundvall said Lesnar’s continuance was based on his need for “more time to do the testing of the supplements.”

A request for comment to Lesnar’s reps wasn’t immediately returned.

Lesnar (6-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC), the No. 12 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings, came out of retirement after more than five years away from the sport and re-signed with the UFC to fight Mark Hunt (12-11-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) at its blockbuster pay-per-view event on July 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Because the results of his out-of-competition drug test were not processed in time, he was allowed to fight and earned a unanimous decision over Hunt, the No. 13-ranked heavyweight.

Lesnar’s failed tests prompted the NSAC to temporarily suspend him pending a disciplinary hearing. The fighter and WWE wrestler promised to “get to the bottom of this,” but he hasn’t addressed his case since.

Lundvall revealed the ex-champ is being defended by prominent anti-doping attorney Howard Jacobs, a California-based lawyer who’s represented dozens of athletes accused of using banned substances. Jacobs is also backing UFC interim light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, who also tested positive for clomiphene as well as letrozole, another banned estrogen blocker.

Lundvall initially questioned whether Jacobs is allowed to represent Lesnar in Nevada, but the commission granted the continuance after Jacobs assured its members that he would hire local counsel.

Commission: Jones’ request for delay “not a good cause”

Jon Jones

A request from Jones to delay his hearing wasn’t as warmly received. Lundvall said the interim champ’s request was “only that USADA has not held their hearing.”

Jones (22-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC), the No. 1-ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light heavyweight rankings, also faces disciplinary action from UFC anti-doping partner USADA, which forwarded the test results to the commission prior to UFC 200. As a result of the positive, he was temporarily suspended by the NSAC and scratched from a title unifier with champ Daniel Cormier (17-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who went on to fight ex-middleweight champ Anderson Silva (33-7 MMA, 16-3 UFC).

Jones faces a potential two-year term from USADA for his drug positives. His potential punishment from the NSAC is less clear. The commission only this past month finalized new drug testing penalties. Typical suspensions in previous anti-doping cases have resulted in one-year terms as well as fines.

Lundvall echoed previous statements from the commission about the NSAC remaining independent of USADA when it comes to drug cases.

“I don’t think it is good precedent for us on a going-forward basis to only follow USADA’s hearings,” she said. “I don’t think we are in some type of administrative process where we let USADA set the stage or dictate what the potential punishment may be.

“I know from a practical standpoint, that effectively the continuance should be granted. But I do not think this is a good cause.”

Ultimately, though, the commission voted to approve the delay on the basis that not all the evidence in Jones’ case is available. The fighter’s reps have ordered testing to confirm initial speculation that his positive test resulted from a contaminated supplement.

One fighter scheduled for today’s hearing did escape scrutiny. Nate Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC) quickly received a continuance on a disciplinary hearing for his role in a UFC 202 fracas with featherweight champ Conor McGregor (20-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), the No. 1 ranked featherweight.

Shortly after, McGregor appeared for his hearing and was not so lucky.

For complete coverage of UFC 200, check out the UFC Events section of the card.