Jon Jones is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and he is renowned as one of the most fearless fighters in the sport.
Jon Jones is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and he is renowned as one of the most fearless fighters in the sport. However, when it came to his highly anticipated heavyweight debut he admits to feeling a sense of relief that he faced Ciryl Gane instead of the fearsome Francis Ngannou.
The rivalry between Jones and Ngannou has been a long-standing saga in the world of mixed martial arts. Discussions about a potential heavyweight collision between the two began years ago. Jones took time off from competition to prepare his body for the heavyweight division.
However, by the time he was ready to make the move, Ngannou had left the UFC due to a contract dispute. This unfortunate turn of events put the eagerly anticipated matchup on hold in Ngannou’s absence. Ciryl Gane stepped in to welcome Jones to the heavyweight ranks at UFC 285. Jones secured victory in that bout with a first-round submission claiming the vacant UFC heavyweight title.
Jones while disappointed by the missed opportunity to face Ngannou and determine the true heavyweight champion. He found solace in competing against Gane. He acknowledged that Gane’s fighting style is relatively one-dimensional and lacks the sheer knockout power of “The Predator.” While Jones would have willingly fought Ngannou. He admitted that the less hazardous challenge posed by Gane was somewhat comforting.
“The funny thing is, the narrative switched,” Jones stated on the OverDogs podcast. “The narrative switched somehow, and people are saying that I waited three years and I came back exactly when Francis was gone. That’s actually not true. When I got back, Francis was very much on the roster still, and I could have been his last fight, but instead he opted out, and Ciryl Gane took Francis’ spot. I came back ready for Francis Ngannou, for sure.”
He humorously added, “I’m not going to lie though, knowing that I was fighting Ciryl Gane instead of Francis was kind of nice. [Laughs]. Francis is a scary joker.”
While fight fans may have missed the opportunity to witness the Jones vs Ngannou showdown. Francis Ngannou has been thriving outside of the UFC. The former heavyweight champion inked a lucrative deal with the Professional Fighters League and is set to make his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury in October.
However, Jon Jones believes that fighters like Ngannou despite their financial success may sacrifice their legacy for fortune. He commended the PFL and Bellator for providing competition to the UFC and offering fighters more options but emphasized that the UFC remains the pinnacle of the sport where the true test of greatness resides.
“I’m happy for all these guys and being able to take care of their families,” Jones expressed. “I’m actually really proud of the PFL and Bellator for being a competitor of the UFC. I mean that as a UFC employee. I love the UFC; they changed my life. But it’s good to see options. Options are important for all of us to have, no matter what business you’re in, or what walk of life. I’m really, really proud of those guys. But if you want to consider yourself truly the best in the world at this sport, you can’t do it if you’re not in the UFC, no matter how dominant you are in other organizations.”
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