WASHINGTON D.C. — It’s a classic case of he said, he said when it comes to who flinched first.
Speaking at the “Battle of the Giants” press conference on Thursday, Francis Ngannou was asked about reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Jon Jones, who won the belt against Ciryl Gane after Ngannou vacated it with his departure to the Professional Fighters League. While some have claimed Ngannou was the reason the two never competed, the Cameroonian thinks it is the other way around, with the current champion at his former promotion the one who opted against a fight between them.
Since leaving the UFC, the promotion, run by CEO Dana White, has suggested repeatedly that Ngannou didn’t want to face Jones. Ngannou respectfully disagrees.
“Well, I believe that’s the new narrative, because he [White] needs to say something either way,” Ngannou remarked. “But as far as I’m concerned, it was Jon Jones who didn’t want to fight with me according to [the UFC]. So many times that we sit down with them on the meeting, [they said], ‘Oh it can’t happen, Jon Jones doesn’t want to fight anymore. He’s living in Albuquerque, he’s living his small life, he has a lot of money in his bank account.’ I think the guy who controls the narrative can say whatever he wants, but that’s just the narrative.”
With both men in separate promotions, it is unlikely they will square off. The UFC has not co-promoted with another organization in quite some time, other than a one-off trade with One Championship to exchange Demetrious Johnson for Ben Askren. In the war of words, the PFL superstar wants it to be known that he did not decline to fight anyone, including Jones.
Ngannou will make his PFL debut in a pay-per-view show on Oct. 19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “The Predator” will collide with PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira in a battle between two men with knockout rates above 70%. The two met face-to-face for the first time on Thursday at the press conference.
Although no official announcement has been made, it is rumored that Jones will return to the cage against ex-heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in November at Madison Square Garden. Jones currently holds the UFC heavyweight belt—although it is not undisputed, as Tom Aspinall holds the interim strap. If it comes to fruition, they will vie for Jones’ heavyweight throne in a match that some expect may be a double retirement encounter.
