The timeless phrase, ‘We don’t always get what we wish for,’ perfectly captures the frustration of fight fans who had once eagerly awaited one of the most anticipated heavyweight bouts in mixed martial arts—Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou. Once rumored to be in the works, the fight drifted into indefinite limbo due to various circumstances.
Since then, much has changed; Ngannou left the UFC and joined the PFL, while UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is now preparing for a legacy bout against Stipe Miocic, which is rumored to be his MMA swansong. In the wake of these developments, ‘Bones’s’ coach has once again reignited hopes for a potential clash between Jones and ‘The Predator’.
Hope for Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou raised by coach
Jon Jones’s longtime coach, Brendan Gibson, recently spoke to MMA Fighting’s SBN in a preview where he answered questions related to the upcoming UFC 309, particularly from Bones’ perspective. During the conversation, the host expressed his emotional sentiments about the possibility of seeing Jon Jones face Cain Velasquez, noting how Velasquez’s injuries had hindered that matchup.
However, the host couldn’t take the conversation any further before Coach Gibson introduced another compelling heavyweight opponent for Jon Jones: Francis Ngannou. Gibson stated, “And obviously, Francis, right?”
Gibson further raised hopes for fans by suggesting that a fight against Ngannou could potentially be Jones’s “last rodeo” in MMA, rather than the upcoming bout against Stipe Miocic. He continued, “Like, maybe there’s still potential with Francis down the road—who knows? I’m never going to count that one out. But yeah, there have been some great UFC heavyweights.”
In his final remarks, Coach Brendan Gibson firmly addressed any doubts about Jon Jones’s status as the greatest of all time. He claimed, “When his frame might not have been ready to be at that heavyweight peak, just his skill set alone—I think Jon could beat any of these guys.”
Despite Jon Jones’s coach acknowledging the possibility of a fight between ‘Bones’ and ‘The Predator’, it may not happen under the UFC banner, as Dana White recently shared his honest take on the idea of that matchup under his promotion.
What is Dana White’s take on Ngannou vs. Jones?
Recently, there are two types of people that Dana White sees as a sore point. One group consists of those who deny that Jon Jones is the best pound-for-pound fighter. The other is Francis Ngannou, who parted ways with the UFC and White two years ago due to professional disagreements.
However, the rivalry between them is not going to be settled anytime soon. Shortly after leaving the UFC, the French-Cameroonian took a leap of faith and signed with the PFL. Unfortunately, the hopes of fans wanting to see a battle of legends in the octagon have faded, even as discussions about a cross-promotion fight night event continue.
This sentiment was echoed last year by a reporter at the UFC 295 press conference, but White poured cold water on the fans’ hopes when he stated, “No, I’m not interested in that. We tried to make that fight; they didn’t want to do it, and it’s done… I’m not interested. We’ve got one, two, and three [top-selling pay-per-views in the MSG]; they [the PFL] can’t sell a f***ing gate… It’s a stupid question. Why should I do that?”
What are your thoughts on Coach Brendan Gibson’s statement? Do you think this highly anticipated matchup for fight fans will materialize, given that Jon Jones is a favorite of Dana White? Jones likely wants to avoid upsetting White by pursuing a scrap with Francis Ngannou. Drop your opinion below.
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