Jon Jones Tweets Support for Nate Diaz After Positive Drug Test Ahead of UFC 244

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is coming to the defense of Nate Diaz in the wake of the Stockton Slugger withdrawing from his scheduled match with Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244. 

After Diaz tweeted he's "not gonna make it to NYC for fight next week because they said I tested with elevated levels that they say might be from some tainted supplements," Jones offered a message of support (Warning: tweet contains profanity):

Jones was pulled from the UFC 200 main event against Daniel Cormier after the USADA informed the UFC of a potential doping violation stemming from an out-of-competition test.

Following a one-year suspension, Jones returned to competition in July 2017 for his long-awaited rematch with Cormier. Bones initially won the bout by knockout to regain the light heavyweight title, but the result was overturned to a no-contest when a B sample drug test confirmed Jones had the steroid Turinabol in his system. 

An independent arbitrator issued a 15-month suspension for Jones as a result of his failed test. He returned to the octagon in December, defeating Alexander Gustafsson to win the vacant 205-pound championship. 

Diaz called out Masvidal after beating Anthony Pettis at UFC 241, his first match since losing to Conor McGregor in 2016. 

The Nov. 2 matchup between Diaz and Masvidal at Madison Square Garden was going to be for the "Baddest Mother F--ker" title.