While Francis Ngannou eagerly awaited the return of Stipe Miocic after a trilogy against Daniel Cormier, the fierce knockout fighter almost won a fight with arguably the greatest fighter of all time, Jon Jones.
Jones talked about changing divisions for several years, but in the midst of a fight with the UFC, he seemed more interested than ever in climbing. Ngannou took the opportunity to welcome the former 93 kg king into his new division.
Unfortunately, the negotiations between the UFC and Jones collapsed almost as fast as talks about the fight started. Ngannou was relegated to the background, hoping that his opportunity to compete for the title would come sooner or later.
At the moment, Ngannou still anticipates a final showdown with Miocic in the first quarter of 2021. But the 34-year-old heavyweight from Cameroon also looks forward to the day when he can face Jones.
“Obviously it’s something everyone would love to see,” said Ngannou of Jones’ potential fight in an interview with MMA Fighting. “If I were to say me, I would have liked to see that fight. I wanted that to happen. If this fight had happened, I would have been active now. If I have two positive things, which is to fight Jon Jones, who is probably the greatest of all time, the number 1 pound per pound in the world in my opinion, but the main thing I would remain active.
“Because now, right here, it’s missing. I do not know where I am. I don’t know exactly what I’m doing. Having a fight is a good fight and having a big fight is a big thing. I’m looking forward to it “.
Of course, Jones’ move to heavyweight definitely injects some real excitement into the division. But there is also the question of how your skills will translate into a larger weight class.
Since arriving at the UFC, Jones has rarely been tested and has passed over most of his opponents within the octagon. Only on a few occasions has he been seriously pressured in a fight, let alone hurt to the point of defeat approaching.
Jones has made some tough decisions over the years, including two recent title defenses against Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes. But in the end, he still came out as a light heavyweight champion.
Since announcing his move to heavyweight, Jones has been meticulous in his preparation to face much larger competitions; many fighters in the division put the scales at the 265 pound limit. Ngannou is confident that Jones’ 205-pounder skills will translate into heavyweight, but he definitely hopes to find out for himself.
“I think I fit in very well with Jon Jones,” said Ngannou. “He’s gaining weight now. He looks very big and strong, but I think he matches very well. He has some good skills that can match my power. It will be different. “
After announcing his intention to fight in the heavyweight division, Jones made clear his desire to compete for the title in his first fight in the category, and it is difficult to argue against that request. He was the light heavyweight champion who reigned the most in UFC history by a wide margin and essentially remained undefeated, except for a defeat by disqualification in a fight he was absolutely dominating.
It can worry most contenders when a name like Jones is thrown into the mix of heavyweights, creating the possibility that he would usurp the hierarchy to get a chance at the immediate title. Ngannou is not losing any sleep over this. UFC president Dana White has been adamant that the former heavyweight title challenger will face Miocic in early 2020, and then Jones may eventually face the winner.
Despite all the ways Ngannou was frustrated by a long layoff after competing for just 20 seconds last year, he looks confident that the UFC will fulfill his shot at the title.
“Why should I be worried?” Ngannou stoically added when asked about Jones possibly crossing the line. “No, I’m not worried.”