Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou made his PFL “SmartCage” debut last weekend in Riyadh, grounding and pounding Brazilian bruiser Renan Ferreira to capture the heavyweight “super fight” title on pay-per-view (PPV).
What did UFC CEO Dana White think about “The Predator’s” performance?
“It was better than Donn Davis,” White told reporters at the Power Slap 9 press conference. “Way better.”
White, who never had a great relationship with Ngannou, has been targeted by PFL head cheese Donn Davis in recent months.
In addition, PFL continues to challenge UFC to a crossover fight between Ngannou and Jones, a media challenge not unlike the co-promotion campaign from M-1 in the heyday of ex-PRIDE heavyweight deity Fedor Emelianenko.
White has an alternative solution for dreamy fight fans.
“I think fans are dreaming about Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall,” White continued. “That’s the fight I think they’re dreaming about. I think that if Stipe [Miocic] wins the fight, or that Jones wins the fight, the way that both of those guys are wired, I think they fight Aspinall. I think that Stipe and Jon, whoever wins, should give Aspinall the same opportunity they had.”
Assuming they don’t retire.
Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Miocic in the UFC 309 main event next month in New York City, a battle that is expected to determine the greatest heavyweight champion in UFC history. That said, Jones — unlike Miocic — does not have a win over Ngannou.
Who’s to blame? All depends on who you ask.