Some things just aren’t meant to be and that’s how it currently stands for what would’ve been the biggest heavyweight fight of all time.
Francis Ngannou And Jon Jones Are On Different Paths
For years, Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones was the fight to make with many fans clamoring for former light heavyweight champ Jones to move up a division to face Ngannou for his heavyweight title. Though, the timing never lined up right as Jones took three years off en route to his heavyweight debut and title win in 2023, with Ngannou leaving the UFC just months prior to test free agency once his contract was up.
Free agent Ngannou would then sign with the PFL (before boxing Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua) where he makes his MMA return on Oct. 19 against 6’8″ PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan Ferreira. In some eyes, the winner of “The Battle of The Giants” will be the best heavyweight in the world, regardless of promotion.
Jake Paul Says Jones vs. Ngannou Too Big Of A Risk For UFC’s Dana White
Of course, the conversation can’t go on without undisputed champ Jon Jones, who many, including PFL-signed Jake Paul, want to see against Francis Ngannou even now.
“I think Dana’s scared to make it happen,” Paul said of UFC CEO White on the PFL broadcast. “I think he doesn’t wanna lose his horse in Jon Jones, and I love Jon Jones, but that’s too much of a risk for Dana to take.
“Francis is one of the baddest, if not the baddest man on the planet. So, I think Dana’s scared. I don’t think he would wanna do that, but the MMA fans want that. Doesn’t everyone want that? But, Dana never does anything for the fans.”
The UFC’s business model isn’t one for cross-promotional shows with other MMA organizations as it’s the premier promotion in the world, selling out shows on their own wherever they go and having a roster of household names, which saw Francis Ngannou leave the list last year.
“As It Stands, Francis Ngannou Is The Man To Beat”
While the Jon Jones fight may be out of bounds for “The Predator” now, Ngannou still has a tall task ahead of him in Renan Ferreira, who’s looking to pull off the biggest of upsets.
“That would be, first of all, a massive upset,” Paul said, if Ferreira beats Ngannou. “Obviously, that could happen in combat sports. That’s what makes this fight exciting is, Ferreira being an insane competitor, but he would become the man [to beat at heavyweight]. He would become the the greatest heavyweight in MMA. But currently, as it stands, Francis Ngannou is the man to beat.”
No man ever defeated Francis Ngannou to take his heavyweight title with the belt going vacant as soon as it was certain Ngannou wasn’t going to ink another contract with the promotion. Ngannou’s first and only loss in the UFC came to former champ Stipe Miocic in 2020, a defeat he avenged in their rematch where the Cameroonian won the title by second-round TKO.
