Footage has once more reemerged of UFC CEO, Dana White singing the praise of former heavyweight titleholder, Francis Ngannou ahead of a long-mooted fight with Jon Jones — before switching his tune on the pairing following the Cameroonian’s exit from the promotion at the beginning of last year.
Jones, a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight champion and a current heavyweight gold holder, is all but set to headline UFC 309 at the end of the year in November — taking on the returning soon-to-be common-foe, Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden.
As for Ngannou, the former undisputed UFC heavyweight gold holder has been sidelined from mixed martial arts since January of 2022, most recently successfully unifying the heavyweight crowns with an impressive unanimous decision win over the then-unbeaten common-opponent, Ciryl Gane.
Departing the promotion in January of last year, Batie native, Francis Ngannou is now slated to make his long-anticipated PFL (Professional Fighters League) debut in two months time in Riyadh, taking on heavyweight star, Renan Ferreira in a blockbuster showdown.
Dana White once picked Francis Ngannou to beat Jon Jones before UFC exit
However, amid continued links to a future grudge title fight between Jones and Ngannou down the line — footage has once more emerged of UFC boss, White heaping praise on his former undisputed champion, Ngannou — after urging Jones to pursue a middleweight drop.
If I’m Jon Jones, and I’m watching this fight [Stipe MIocic vs. Francis Ngannou 2], then I’m moving to 185 [pounds],” Dana White told assembled media three years ago. “I could sit here all day and tell you what show me the money means. You can say you want to fight somebody, but do you really want to?”
2021, Dana White jokingly tells Jon Jones to move down to Middleweight after Francis Ngannou knocked out Stipe.
"Do you really want to [fight]?"
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 30, 2024
2021, Dana White jokingly tells Jon Jones to move down to Middleweight after Francis Ngannou knocked out Stipe.
Those comments from White provide a stark difference in his take on the failed matchup today — boldly claiming that Ngannou would not agree to fight Jones in a heavyweight title fight, despite touting the Cameroonian as a terrible matchup for the former pound-for-pound number one.
In recent weeks to boot, Jones has been cast as the best fighter to ever compete in combat sports across the board ahead of his expected title fight comeback at UFC 309 — in a bid to promote the former two-weight titleholder.