Cormier's coach calls Jon Jones the Lance Armstrong of MMA

The MMA universe is waiting with bated breath for the final verdict on Jon Jones' positive steroid test, but Javier Mendez seems to have already labeled the embroiled UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Mendez - the longtime coach of Daniel Cormier - likens Jones' troubles to that of a particular dominant superstar from another sport who fell from grace in similar fashion, and believes Jones' legacy will suffer a similar fate, according to Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie.com.

"He's going to be known as the greatest who coulda-woulda-shoulda and never has been," Mendez told MMAjunkie Radio. "It's just the same like Lance Armstrong. He's the greatest cyclist of all time, but then they proved he cheated, and where's Lance Armstrong now? What's he known as? That's what's going to happen here."

Mendez admits that he thought for a time Jones had moved past his first failed test and turned over a new leaf, but that the results of his latest test have cast serious doubt over those opinions.

"I was feeling really good about the way he was acting around the fight, so I was thinking, 'Hey, this guy's changed,'" Mendez said. "I was saying, maybe this has all been good for him. But I don't know. Is he really being real, or is he just acting that way?"

Mendez also added that if Jones' positive test holds up, he won't be throwing any more fuel onto the fire by confronting Jones.

"I don't think I'd say anything to him," Mendez said. "He is who he is. I'd just accept him and move forward. You'd like to think he's changed, but all fingers are pointing that he hasn’t changed."