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What happened to UFC being able to make the fights that fans want?
Despite Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou and the MMA fan base seemingly on board with the idea, Dana White has again dismissed the possibility of that heavyweight clash actually being booked.
“There’s a lot of buzz about Jones potentially moving up to heavyweight, wants Francis Ngannou,” Jon Anik told the UFC President. “Does that whet your appetite at all, that potential booking?”
“Obviously that’s a fight that people would love to see and these guys are taking a lot of smack back and forth,” White responded. “I don’t see that fight happening. I don’t see that fight happening.”
According to Jones, UFC was flat out “unwilling to pay more” for that super-fight. He said the UFC previously claimed they’d renegotiate his contract if he moved to heavyweight, but was “shocked” that the promotion was unwilling to negotiate on what would be a massive fight.
It is also interesting to point out that with the current ESPN PPV model, the UFC is guaranteed to make big money regardless of how much — or how little — it sells. They won’t be risking things anymore like during their early days, and big events would even add a significant amount to that guarantee.
White has long chastised boxing for being “so greedy” and unable to book fights that fans want, so it’s interesting to see the UFC President himself openly admit that Jones vs Ngannou is something people would “love,” but isn’t likely to ever see.