In the UFC heavyweight division, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding a potential fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Recently, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou weighed in on this topic. As such, Ngannou expressed his support for the reigning heavyweight champion’s desire to avoid a fight against Aspinall.
Jon ‘Bones’ Jones comes off an impressive victory a few weeks ago at UFC 309. After successfully defending his heavyweight title for the first time, Jones has further solidified his status as a standout fighter in the promotion. According to Francis Ngannou, as a prominent fighter in the UFC, Bones should have a say in his matchups, even if it means potentially fighting Tom Aspinall for a title unification bout.
We all know the situationn that they use that in the negotiation to say, ‘Oh no, he doesn’t want to fight this guy, he’s scared.’ And that’s how machine works. He (Jon Jones) is in the position to claim what he wants as he said. He said, ‘Aspinall needs that fight, I don’t need it.’ And when you look at it, it’s pretty much true.
Francis Ngannou via TMZ Sports (Check from 2:00)
The ‘Predator’ expressed a viewpoint similar to that of Jones. They believe that Aspinall has much to accomplish to reach the level of Bones’ status for a potential title unification bout. A fight against the British fighter would not significantly impact Jones’ illustrious UFC career. As a result, Ngannou has supported the heavyweight champion’s decision not to engage in a title unification fight with Aspinall.
However, the British fighter believes that Jones is intimidated to face him. Just as Ngannou supports Jones, there are several others who believe that Aspinall poses a significant threat to the UFC heavyweight champion. As time goes on, new theories about this topic continue to emerge. Additionally, alongside the Jones vs. Aspinall discussion, Ngannou also shared his thoughts on a potential matchup with Bones.
Francis Ngannou still open for a fight against Jon Jones
Jon Jones is a veteran of the MMA community. Over the years, he has established a reputation for himself by defeating numerous formidable opponents, primarily in the UFC light heavyweight division. A few years ago, Jones transitioned to the heavyweight division, where Francis Ngannou stood out as one of the top fighters in the promotion.
Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones together (Image via Imago)During that time, there were several discussions about a potential fight between Jones and Ngannou. However, the match never took place as the French-Cameroonian fighter left the UFC. Although the fight didn’t happen, the Predator expressed that he did not want to rule out the possibility of facing Jones in the near future.
The reality is we both know we both want this fight, for sure. And it would be a good fight for us. There’s more to this, like legacy and everything. I mean, I can finish my career at some point, but it will always be great to know that, okay, you faced that guy – that guy who is the best in the sport, to ever do the sport.
Francis Ngannou further continued
Similar to Jones, the French-Cameroonian fighter also recently made his PFL debut, where he defeated Renan Ferreira, via a brutal KO/TKO. Following this victory, there has been much speculation about Ngannou’s next potential fight. Interestingly, the Predator himself recently expressed interest in a matchup against Jones. It will be fascinating to see if these two fighters ever face each other in the octagon.
