Francis Ngannou is tired of discussing a potential fight with Jon Jones, having moved on to other challenges like boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and he no longer cares if the fight with Jones ever happens.
Francis Ngannou is tired of all the Jon Jones chatter.
For years, MMA fans have dreamed of a Ngannou vs. Jones showdown. Ngannou, a terrifying heavyweight in UFC history from 2015-2022, and Jones, always eyeing the heavyweight division while dominating light heavyweight. Even after Ngannou’s 2023 switch to PFL, questions about their potential clash persist. But it seems Ngannou’s patience has worn thin.
In an interview with Seconds Out, Ngannou applauded Jones for his victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. However, he dismissed any talk of crossing promotions to face off in the octagon.
“It’s been four years that I’ve been saying it,” Ngannou remarked. “I’m confused why people keep asking me this question. It’s been four years. That’s not my problem anymore. If it happens, great; if not, f*ck it.”
Back when both fighters were under UFC contracts, there was interest in a champion vs. champion bout. Yet, it never materialized due to various reasons. In 2021, a disagreement between UFC CEO Dana White and Jones over pay stalled negotiations. Jones was upset by White’s comments suggesting he didn’t want to fight Ngannou. White later attempted to shift blame onto Ngannou for the matchup falling through.
Since leaving the UFC, Ngannou has ventured into boxing against heavyweights like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He also returned triumphantly to MMA with a knockout win over Renan Ferreira last October. Currently, he’s uninterested in rematching Joshua after being knocked out by the British fighter—hinting at issues affecting his performance—but he craves another shot at Fury following a controversial split decision loss to “The Gypsy King.”
“Regarding Joshua, I felt very off during that fight,” Ngannou confessed. “A rematch could happen, but I definitely want another go at Fury. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but something felt wrong about the Joshua fight. If it’s the same scenario again, count me out.”
“I don’t have the full picture yet,” Ngannou continued. “But I noticed some things that seemed off—I was stuck in the locker room for nearly four hours, which is unusual for a fight setting.”
If given another chance to face Fury, Ngannou doesn’t foresee changing his strategy much. One thing’s certain: he believes the outcome will differ.
“Differently? Not sure,” Ngannou mused. “Just aiming to do what I did before—but better.”