I just finished watching the press conference where the news about Jon Jones was announced, and I couldn't get over how surreal it was to see a frustrated Dana White sitting there as Jeff Novitzky read his statement about Jones' positive sample and the cancellation of the main event.

I can't recall the president or commissioner of any athletic league ever being put in a situation like this, and you'd be hard pressed to find a situation that is even comparable. You will never see Adam Silver standing at a podium announcing the suspension of LeBron James before Game 7 of the NBA finals, or Roger Goodell announcing Tom Brady won't be competing two days before the Super Bowl.

Watching Dana handle the entire thing with a level of seriousness, and yes, grace, that somewhat belies the caricature of his public persona; all the while knowing that the possibility of a catastrophic situation such as this was made possible not because of pressure from the government, or pressure from the fan base, but by the UFC itself, enforcing its own rules, makes the respect I have for Dana, the Fertitta brothers, and all parties involved grow immensely.

I'm not naive enough to believe these changes were brought about because of some altruistic notion of fairness; of course they were made to enhance the UFC brand and make the sport more appealing to the mainstream. However, in doing so, especially after today, the UFC has become the standard-bearer for creating a level playing field for its competitors, and ensuring that its athletes are clean, and no other sport comes close.