Surprised news finally came out, Mike Jackson gives his side of overturned UFC 225 result of CM Punk fight

For three years, Mike Jackson kept his positive marijuana test on the down-low.

Upon MMA Junkie’s uncovering Thursday of the overturned UFC 225 result of his fight vs. CM Punk from June 2018, Jackson (0-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) couldn’t help but shrug and chuckle.

“I thought something was going to come out about it and nothing ever came out,” Jackson told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “So I was just like, all right, whatever. And then, yesterday happened and I was like, all right, it’s like ‘weed day’ or something.”

When Jackson received word of his positive test in late 2018 he was slightly surprised. The UFC had sent a memo to the athletes competing on the card that warned them about Illinois’s strict zero-tolerance marijuana policy. Jackson said it was around this time that he halted use, but a small trace still showed up in his system.

As a result of the positive test, Jackson’s win was overturned to a “no contest” and he was suspended for three months. While he was not fined, Jackson was not given a slight raise for his second UFC bout. That’s the only thing that transpired that he says he was annoyed by – including all the online trash-talkers.

Jackson’s UFC career has been an unusual one, making him a bit of an “anomaly,” to use his own words. Over that period, he’s encountered thousands of online trolls. He’s become accustomed to the interactions – and even somewhat enjoys them. With his name back in the headlines in the midst of a Conor McGregor fight week, Jackson dusted off his troll-repellent and dove back into the comments sections.

“First of all, I love the trolls, right?” Jackson said. “I thrive in a toxic environment just like y’all. I’m better at it than y’all, by the way. But when you got people saying like, ‘Oh, you lost to CM Punk for whatever reason, right? I sent the dude to the hospital, right? But they’re like, ‘Oh, you lost to CM Punk because of this,’ I’m like, ‘Wait, wait, this is your argument? Like, this is where you’re basing your position on?’ Even if that’s your logic, when I tell you people, your lives and opinions don’t matter, this is what I’m talking about. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t diminish it in any way. I think it’s hilarious.”

Marijuana usage is a hot topic right now, not just in the MMA news cycle – but in the greater beyond of sports in general. Recently, American track and field sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was deemed ineligible for the 2020 Olympics after a drug test showed traces of marijuana in her system.

On Wednesday, the state of Nevada, the world’s combat sports hotbed, ruled that athletes will no longer be punished for marijuana detection or use. In a world of ever-evolving marijuana rules, Jackson hopes his story can, even if just a little bit, advance progress.

“It affected my money on the next purse,” Jackson said. “That’s why I was upset. But for me, because of the position I’m in, it is not so much. But for the other fighters who, again, it does affect their future purses and things like that. Again, if I (have) to be the guy to talk about it and to speak out and fight for change, I’m down for the cause, because at the end of the day, to be honest with you, outside of missing out on a little bit of money on my next fight, I’m not losing nothing here. You know, it doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Jackson, 36, is a Houston-area mixed martial arts photographer whose tight-knit connections to the combat sports circuit in Texas put him on the radar of the UFC when they needed an opponent for Punk. His promotional tenure is unusual, but he remains on the promotion’s roster. Earlier this year, Jackson was pegged to fight rising Irish star Dean Barry on multiple fight dates, however, a host of obstacles including visa issues involving Barry (3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has continuously delayed the fight. Jackson expects the two will meet inside the cage by the end of 2021, however.

People can continue to criticize Jackson for his unorthodox UFC ride – all the while “The Truth” plans to block out the hate and enjoy the ride.

“None of this matters from my side and none of it matters from his side,” Jackson said. “It really just apparently matters to UFC fans who want to bicker online, I guess. I mean, but again, if they want to spend the energy on this, I mean, cool. I’m watching UFC 264 and getting ready for UFC 265 with Derrick Lewis gets the title, baby. Let’s go.”

Check out MMA Junkie’s full interview with UFC welterweight Mike Jackson below: