UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones put his previous bad blood with Francis Ngannou aside to congratulate him on his first-round finish against PFL giant Renan Ferreira.
Ngannou returned to MMA after nearly three years away from the cage on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Headlining an event with the reigning PFL titleholder Ferreira, Ngannou wasted zero time taking down the behemoth Ferreira, ultimately finishing the Brazilian with ground and pound in the first round.
If you missed Ngannou’s finish at Battle of the Giants, watch the highlight below.
You don't want to miss @arielhelwani and @jakepaul's reaction to ???? @francis_ngannou KO
#PFLSuperFights | @PFLMMA pic.twitter.com/vNJ66FazNM
— DAZN Sport (@DAZN_Sport) October 19, 2024
The former UFC heavyweight champ Ngannou signed with PFL last year after a long, rocky contract dispute with the UFC brass. The UFC stripped Ngannou of the heavyweight title upon his departure, and he then turned his full attention towards boxing fights with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Jones and Ngannou’s careers have been linked for years, stemming from the potential UFC superfight that never came to fruition. Despite past tensions, Jones credited Ngannou with his performance in the PFL SmartCage.
Jon Jones Applauds Francis Ngannou on Dominant PFL Debut
In a recent tweet, Jones congratulated Ngannou on his performance.
Jones won Ngannou’s stripped UFC title by submitting Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. He’s scheduled to defend his UFC heavyweight championship against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in New York City next month.
Ngannou captured the UFC heavyweight belt by knocking out Miocic at UFC 260, before defending it against Gane at UFC 270. During his UFC tenure, he earned some of the most brutal knockouts in the promotion’s history.
Despite their UFC clash never coming to fruition, Jones and Ngannou teased fans with a cage-side faceoff at a PFL event last year. While their unanimously desired super fight is likely off the table, their heavyweight reigns will be discussed in the same breath.