Francis Ngannou is once again feeling slighted by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and rightfully so. After seeing his once rumored superfight with heavyweight boxer, Tyson Fury, land on Jon Jones’ front doorstep it’s hard to disagree with “Predator.”
In case you forgot, Ngannou and Fury were lining up for a massive “hybrid fight” in early 2022. Ngannou wasn’t under contract with UFC at the time, but he did hold the UFC heavyweight title. “Predator” was hoping that UFC would play ball like they did for Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., but UFC president, Dana White, wanted nothing to do with it.
Fast forward one year and UFC is offering Fury a chance to fight Jones in a “hybrid fight.” This comes after Ngannou’s UFC release earlier this year and Jones winning the vacant UFC heavyweight title at UFC 285 this past March. It now seems as if UFC is willing to do business with Fury considering Jones is in the driver’s seat and not Ngannou.
On Friday, Ngannou discussed his own potential superfight with Fury as his new PFL contract allows it. According to the former UFC champion, talks remain ongoing.
Francis Ngannou weighs in on the UFC offering Tyson Fury a “hybrid fight against Jon Jones
“That was never an idea when I was in the UFC. Now that I’m not in the UFC, I think everything is all about how to take down Ngannou. But Ngannou stands up.” pic.twitter.com/gimHHGhsEC
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 17, 2023
“I have seen a lot of comments from Tyson Fury. At this point of stage, I’m a little confused,” said Ngannou during a backstage interview at PFL 5 (shown above courtesy of MMA Fighting). “I don’t know if he’s, like, enjoying doing comments or enjoying fighting at this point. But anyway, as I said, I’m here and I’m ready, and my team has been working on getting in touch with him, with his team, which, so far we are not there yet. But yes, we are in the conversation.”
“It’s what I wanted. It’s always what I wanted,” Ngannou added. “But apparently Tyson Fury is pretty good at bouncing here and there. I don’t know exactly [what he’s doing], but I’m here and I want that fight. So whenever he really wants it, I’m here. … It’s been like three years that we’ve been going back and forth on social media.”
As far as Jones’ proposed superfight with Fury goes, Ngannou isn’t surprised. The heavyweight superstar is under the assumption that UFC is trying to drag him down and now that he’s gone the promotion is pushing for a superfight.
“Oh, that was never an idea when I was in the UFC, and then now that I’m not in the UFC, I think everything is all about how to take down Ngannou,” he said. “But Ngannou stands up. Nothing’s going to take me [down]. I’m going to be here for a while.”
What do you think, fight fans? Is UFC slighting Ngannou yet again?
Let’s hear it!