Former UFC champ Jon Jones tested positive for 2 banned estrogen blockers, faces 2 year suspension

An emotional Jon Jones, middle, addresses questions about the cancellation of his light heavyweight fight with Daniel Cormier at UFC 200 during a press conference at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Thursday, July 7, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones tested positive for two banned estrogen blockers in an out-of-competition test that forced him out of his UFC 200 main event bout against Daniel Cormier just three days before the historic card.

The Nevada Athletic Commission revealed the details during a Monday meeting at the Grant Sawyer Building as it unanimously approved a temporary suspension until a full hearing can be conducted on the matter.

Jones tweeted Monday: “Don’t write me off just yet, I know in my heart that I’m not a cheater. I trust in the system to help me prove it.”

A sample collected on June 16 came back positive for clomiphene, an anti-estrogenic agent, and metabolites of letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor.

Jones tweeted Monday: “Don’t write me off just yet, I know in my heart that I’m not a cheater. I trust in the system to help me prove it.”

Both substances are prohibited due to their use by athletes looking to counteract the side effects of some performance-enhancing drugs and help restart natural testosterone production.

The NAC will hold a disciplinary hearing on the matter, likely in September or October. Jones also faces discipline from the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which administers the drug testing program for the UFC.

He faces a suspension of up to two years.

Jones has retained noted anti-doping attorney Howard Jacobs to defend him on the matter. Jacobs addressed the commission by phone and didn’t object to the temporary suspension.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj