Amid continued links to a potential super fight with UFC star, Jon Jones, incoming PFL debutante, Francis Ngannou claims an ideal location for the bout to stand the best chance to occur would be in Saudi Arabia.
Ngannou, a former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, will make his first outing in the SmartCage this weekend in Riyadh, taking on Brazilian phenom, Renan Ferreira in his PFL bow — snapping a three-year hiatus from mixed martial arts.
Most recently featuring back in February of this year, Cameroonian heavy hitter,Francis Ngannou was stopped with a brutal second round knockout by former two-time world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua in his sophomore outing in the squared circle.
As for Jones, the heavyweight champion returns next month in the main event of UFC 309, attending to lodge his first successful defense of the divisional title in a rescheduled showdown against former two-time gold holder, Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden.
Francis Ngannou hopeful Jon Jones pairing could take place in Saudia Arabia
And long linked with a behemoth heavyweight showdown with the Rochester native — ultimately to no avail, Batie knockout artist, Ngannou claimed he would be hopeful a pairing between himself and the former pound-for-pound number one could take place in the Middle East.
“I think there’s more chance of it [a fight with Jon Jones] happening in Saudi Arabia,” Francis Ngannou told DAZN during a recent interview ahead of his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira in Riyadh. “There’s basically more of a chance if it happens here.”
Seemingly facing a race against time to land a super fight with former two-time light heavyweight kingpin, Jones, Ngannou may miss out on a clash with the veteran — who has claimed he will likely hang up his gloves from combat sports upon the end of his fight with Miocic next month in his return to New York City.