Francis Ngannou has clarified the steps necessary for a highly anticipated heavyweight clash against Jon Jones to finally take place. The callout came from the legendary former two-division champion, Jones, following suggestions from Ngannou`s coach, Eric Nicksick, about a possible UFC return. Ngannou is currently under contract with PFL, where he holds fighting, executive, and ambassadorial duties.
PFL has shown willingness before to let Ngannou compete outside their promotion, including boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. They are likely open to participating in a significant heavyweight event like this.
Francis Ngannou accepts Jon Jones’ challenge for super-fight
Although not frequently active on X (formerly Twitter), Francis Ngannou responded directly to Jon Jones`s challenge, breaking his social media quiet. He indicated his acceptance but stressed the need for both fighters to navigate their existing promotional contracts.
Jones initiated the exchange on X, stating, “I’m hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested… now we’re talking. That’s a real super fight. A clash of champions, not just hype. He held the UFC belt, I’ve defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from different roads. Not just one legend facing a mouth that’s hot right now, but two real legacies colliding. That’s the kind of fight that actually adds something special to my story. At least from my point of view.”
Ngannou`s concise reply was, “You take care of the UFC, I’ll take care of the PFL. And we’ll finally find out who’s the KING OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT.” This clearly points to the necessity of aligning their respective promotions. PFL executives like Donn Davis and Peter Murray have previously expressed interest in such a bout. However, securing UFC CEO Dana White`s cooperation could be challenging, given his past public statements vowing not to work with Ngannou again after his departure from the UFC in 2023 while still champion.
Jon Jones enraged fans by dismissing Tom Aspinall for Francis Ngannou callout
A major point of contention regarding a potential Jones-Ngannou fight is the position of interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The British fighter has long sought an undisputed title fight against Jones, but this possibility appears increasingly distant. Aspinall risks being sidelined from the championship picture in favor of Ngannou, who vacated the undisputed title without losing it in competition.
The debate over the true heavyweight king often points to Ngannou as the lineal champion. Ngannou has promoted himself with this status in his boxing matches and his single PFL appearance. He has frequently competed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a venue known for hosting high-profile, well-funded events that have managed to bring together promoters previously at odds.
Despite this trend, persuading Dana White to collaborate with Ngannou again, especially given reports of the UFC CEO`s strained relationship with Saudi figure Turki Alalshikh, appears improbable currently.
Jones faced significant criticism online for allegedly avoiding Aspinall. He responded on X by dismissing claims that Ngannou would be an easier opponent due to grappling, controversially adding, “You clowns thinking, Francis would be that much easier because of the ground game. Tom has no ground game either. In English black belt is like getting a participation ribbon.”
Gareth Pendleton