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Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has weighed in on the controversy involving Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, as well as the highly anticipated Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fight.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani ahead of his PFL debut, Ngannou addressed the UFC heavyweight division's current dilemma.
The issue centers around Jon Jones, the reigning heavyweight champion, and Tom Aspinall, the interim titleholder. Despite Aspinall's repeated calls to unify the titles, Jones remains focused on his upcoming fight against Miocic, leading to frustration within the MMA community.
Ngannou, drawing from his own experience with the UFC, acknowledged the complexity of the situation:
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“I think the same movie has been playing out so many time. People sometimes don't just recognize the movie that they are watching… Jones can fight whomever he wants to fight. Then whatever happened is not his responsibility right? I think he was supposed to fight Stipe since last year and then he still wants to fight Stipe. Obviously, the situation of Aspinall is not great. I also understand where he's coming from but I mean can't blame anybody.”
As for the rescheduled bout between Jones and Miocic at UFC 309, Ngannou offered his prediction, noting that while Jones has a slight edge, Miocic could still pull off a surprise.
"At first I was like half-half… but Stipe is a guy [who] when is very committed.. when he shows up he shows up. So if he shows up in a fight and he can really surprise you. So I wouldn't be surprised also if he wins”
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below (30:17):
Francis Ngannou sees himself as the 'underdog' against Renan Ferreira ahead of his PFL debut
Francis Ngannou is set to make his highly anticipated debut in the PFL this Saturday in Saudi Arabia. He will face Brazilian powerhouse Renan Ferreira, a towering opponent, and the 2023 PFL heavyweight champion.
Ngannou, who signed a multi-fight deal with the PFL last year, is returning to mixed martial arts (MMA) for the first time since 2022. In the meantime, he ventured into boxing, facing some of the sport's top names, including Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Despite his success in combat sports, Ngannou suffered two losses in the boxing ring, leading him back to the MMA cage.
As he prepares for his debut, Ngannou expressed humility, considering himself the underdog in the upcoming matchup. Appearing in the same interview with Helwani, 'The Predator' said:
“We don’t fight names we fight talent and let me tell you something, this guy has talent, and from all my opponents I think he’s definitely going to be one of my toughest fights, lets just be serious here... For me, as I’m taking it, he’s very serious, I see this fight as the underdog, I feel like the underdog, yeah.”
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below:
