SECTION B VISIT SAMOA NEWS ONLINE @ SAMOANEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2017 CLASSIFIEDS • CARTOONS • ALOHA BRIEFS & MORE ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ UFC: Champ Jon Jones flagged C M Y K for another failed doping test LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jon Jones could face a lengthy suspen- sion from mixed martial arts after the UFC light heavyweight champion was notified Tuesday of his second potential violation of the promotion’s anti-doping policy. Jones is widely considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in his sport. The potential violation stems from a sample collected after his weigh-in July 28 for his title fight against Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 in Anaheim, California. Jones (23-1) beat Cormier with a vicious third-round head kick, reclaiming his 205-pound belt after sitting out the previous year under suspension for his first failed doping test. The victory appeared to be a return to glory for a fighter who has repeatedly hindered his stellar career with misbehavior outside the octagon. Jones was stripped of his belt in 2015 after his arrest for his involvement in a hit-and-run accident. He was scheduled to fight Cormier for the title in July 2016, but was pulled from the UFC 200 card and eventually suspended for what he claimed was a failed test due to a sexual enhancement pill. Last month, the 30-year-old Jones emphatically denied he has ever used performance-enhancing drugs. Jones hasn’t yet been stripped of his light heavyweight title for a second time, but it will be a formality if the doping violation is confirmed. Cormier held the belt for most of Jones’ absence, and he will likely be the champion again, UFC President Dana White said. “Jon and I have been mad at each other since UFC 200, but the reality is we’ve been here for this kid every step of the way,” White said. “How many times did I fly to Albuquerque when he was in trouble? The list goes on and on, what we’ve done for this guy. It’s really sad.” Jones’ camp and his manager, Malki Kawa, released a state- ment: “We are all at a complete loss for words right now. Jon, his trainers, his nutritionists and his entire camp have worked tire- lessly and meticulously the past 12 months to avoid this exact situ- ation. We are having the samples tested again to determine the validity or source of contamination. Jon is crushed by this news and we are doing whatever we can as a team, to support him.” In a statement, Cormier said he was “disappointed” and “very emotional” about the news. “In my mind, on July 29, I competed and I lost,” said Cormier, who is on vacation in Hawaii with his family. “I thought Jon Jones was the better man that day. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t believe we are going through all of this again. We will see what happens next.” If the violation is confirmed, Jones is almost certain to face a C M multiyear suspension from the sport, taking away even more of his Y K fighting prime. The UFC also will be harmed by the lengthy absence of its best fighter and a burgeoning pay-per-view draw. The penalties for a second offense range from one to four years, depending on several aggravating or mitigating circumstances, said Jeff Novitzky, the UFC’s vice president of athlete health and performance. “Jon definitely has one penalty under the system,” Novitzky said. “So the second penalty, if it were to come to that, basically doubles the amount of the first.” White revealed that the UFC was hoping to book Jones in a fight against heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in Detroit later this year. Instead, two divisions have been thrown into turmoil. The UFC also could lose its dream matchup between Jones and former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The superstars both appeared eager to meet next year in a heavyweight fight that would be among the biggest events in the UFC’s history. FILE - In this Jan. 3, 2015, file photo, Daniel Cormier, bottom, takes down Jon Jones during their “It’s not over yet,” White said. “He’s got to go through the light heavyweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 182 in Las Vegas. If Cormier wasn’t Jones’ (legal) process. Maybe there was something crazy that happened bitter enemy, the UFC light heavyweight champion probably could could give sound advice to Jones, for this stuff to get into his system. So I don’t know.” the troubled former champ. Instead, the steady Cormier realizes he needs a victory over his self- USADA administers the UFC’s doping policy. The California sabotaging archrival on Saturday, July 29, 2017, at UFC 214 to validate his own title reign. State Athletic Commission also has jurisdiction over Jones’ test. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Page B2 samoa news, Wednesday, August 23, 2017 (Photos: Maelyn) FILE - In this May 21, 2017, file photo, Boston Celtics’ Jae Crowder (99) passes against Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA basketball Eastern Con- ference finals in Cleveland. Kyrie Irving gets his new address and Isaiah Thomas gets to play with LeBron. They both can say they won in this Celtics-Cavs blockbuster deal. But the sum of the parts says Cleveland got the better of Boston in this swap of All-Star point guards. Here’s a few reasons why James will be celebrating this deal: He’ll still have a high-octane point guard; he’s getting an absurdly good defender in Jae Crowder (he could have helped the Cavs’ cause against Golden State in The Finals); he won’t be going into the season dealing with drama about Irving’s Cleveland future; this trade might even reap the Cavaliers the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File) On Basketball: Kyrie gets a new address, but Cavs win trade MIAMI (AP) — It’s not the principals that Cavs still got a star for a star, and since Thomas will define the blockbuster trade between Cleve- is only making about $6.3 million next season land and Boston. Great point guard leaves one they got plenty of bonus parts as well to make the city for another. That seems fair. trade work. All the other parts, they will tell the story. It also solved one big Cleveland problem. There are many ways to claim victory in the James’ only motivation is rings, and this move deal made Tuesday night . Kyrie Irving wanted gives him just that. his own team and got it, so he wins. Isaiah He will be looking to go to the Finals for the Thomas gets to play with LeBron James, so he eighth consecutive year. Only three teams in wins. The Cavaliers got rid of a supposedly dis- NBA history have been to four straight finals — gruntled star, so they won. The Celtics now won’t the Lakers, the Celtics, and the Miami Heat when have to decide if Thomas is worth something like James was with them. Golden State will be heavy a $180 million deal next summer, so they won. favorites to join that club next June. The Cava- It’s all semantics. liers won’t surprise many if they join them. But look past all that. James will show up at camp in a couple of In the end, Cleveland won. James won, too. months and begin plotting ways to get his team Here’s a few reasons why James will be cel- back to the Finals. Had Irving still been there, ebrating this deal: He’ll still have a high-octane James surely would have been wondering if they point guard; he’s getting an absurdly good could make it work again. With Thomas, there defender in Jae Crowder (he could have helped won’t be a question. James and Thomas already the Cavs’ cause against Golden State in The have great respect for one another, and Thomas Finals); he won’t be going into the season dealing runs on the same prove-people-wrong gasoline with drama about Irving’s Cleveland future; this that James uses. trade might even reap the Cavaliers the No. 1 Cleveland has been through the free-agency- pick in next year’s draft. is-looming dance with James before, of course. All good things, all edge to Cleveland. If the Cavs want to keep him next summer, they Give the Celtics credit for being bold. Danny simply have to go all-in to make him as happy as Ainge knew winning the Eastern Conference’s possible. This trade probably wasn’t a bad start regular-season crown last season was meaning- on that front. less, so he completely blew up a team that was a In Boston, the Celtics will look very different No. 1 seed and got hammered by the Cavaliers in this season. the East finals. Sure, the Celtics played most of Irving and Hayward are in; Thomas, Crowder, that series without Thomas, but that wasn’t going Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk and Amir Johnson to matter. The Cavs weren’t losing that series. are out — meaning five of Boston’s seven top So Ainge goes out and gets an All-Star point scorers from a No. 1 seed now play elsewhere. guard in Irving, after he hauls in Gordon Hayward The Cavs weren’t overhauled; Irving is gone, during free agency and adds probable rookie of Thomas, Derrick Rose and Jeff Green arrived.