There is no denying that Francis Ngannou is a scary prospect for any fighter. However light heavyweight champ Jon Jones thinks he knows the secret to beating the beast.
A real point of contention between Jones and the UFC lately, has been surrounding the idea of him making a move to heavyweight. In particular he wants to face Ngannou, but he was asking for more money to do so. However the UFC seems not interested in ponying up the extra dough, leaving Jones contemplating retirement.
How Jon Jones Can Beat Francis Ngannou
Despite the UFC’s reluctance to make this fight, Jon Jones is still very interested in it. In fact, speaking with Steve-O, he reveals that he has been think a lot about the nightmarish power of the heavyweight powerhouse. However he thinks that he knows exactly what it takes to get past Ngannou.
“With Francis Ngannou, it’s very simple,” Jones said. “Get comfortable with the worst-case scenario. Worst-case scenario he knocks you the f–k out, he possibly fractures a bone in your face. That’s the worst-case scenario. You get real comfortable with that idea, and then it becomes easy. If he doesn’t knock you out and break your face, you’re smart, you’re fast, you have a chin, you have great head movement, you can wrestle. There’s a lot of ways things can play out. So, I just think about the worst-case scenario, and get yourself mentally to a place where you are walking into that. Like, okay, I’m getting ready to go out there and this guy could possibly hurt me tonight.”
“Francis Ngannou is dangerous, yes,” Jones continued. “I believe he has a chance to knock me the f–k out. Let’s say that out loud,” he explained. “But, if I don’t get knocked out, I believe I win that fight. I just gotta get through round one and I win that fight.”
There is reason to believe that Jon Jones has a point in his strategy to bear Francis Ngannou. However, if we have learned anything from everybody, not named Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis, that Ngannou has faced, it is that this is a lot easier said than done. Of course before anything can happen, the UFC has to agree to make the fight.