UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones admits Francis Ngannou could 100 percent knock him out, but he believes if he’s able to survive round one he would win the fight. Jones was discussing the potential heavyweight super-fight with Steve-O from Jackass, he said.
“With Francis Ngannou, it is very simple. Get comfortable with the worst-case scenario. The worst-case scenario he knocks you the f**k out, he possibly fractures a bone in your face. That is the worst-case scenario, you get real comfortable with that idea, and then it becomes easy. If he doesn’t knock you out and break your face, you are smart, fast, you have a chin, you have great head movement, you can wrestle. There are a lot of ways things can play out. So, I just think about the worst-case scenario. [Just] get yourself mentally to a place where you are walking into that. Like, okay, I’m getting ready to go out there and this guy could possibly hurt me tonight.”
The 205lb king went on to claim that all he needs to do to beat Ngannou is avoid his patented power shots for five minutes, he said.
“Francis Ngannou is dangerous, yes, and I believe he has a chance to knock me the f**k out. Let’s say that out loud,” he explained. “But, if I don’t get knocked out, I believe I win that fight. I just have to get through round one and I win that fight.” (Transcribed by BJPENN.com)
Right now, Jones is on a hiatus from the sport after publicly falling out with UFC president Dana White over failed negotiations for the fight with Ngannou. White claims Jones asked for “obscene” money to move to heavyweight. ‘Bones’ denies those claims and has since announced he will not be competing until the UFC offer him a fair pay deal.
Will Jon Jones be able to survive one round against Francis Ngannou?