Francis Ngannou has reignited his callout for Jon Jones as fans continue to jab at the UFC heavyweight champion.
The massive duo are signed to separate promotions, but there is a belief that Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalsheikh could make the impossible happen as PFL and UFC could work together. He has helped to make the ring’s biggest fights, and now may emerge as a catalyst.
Jones is currently being branded a ‘duck’ by fans for his stance on unifying his belt with Tom Aspinall’s interim title. Meanwhile, Ngannou is beloved by fans, but seems bereft of options outside of the UFC after defeating Renan Ferreira in his Smart Cage debut.
Francis Ngannou calls out Jon Jones after ‘duck’ comments
In the past few weeks, the noise from MMA fans claiming that Jon Jones is ‘ducking’ the challenge of Tom Aspinall has become increasingly deafening. There is a belief that he is avoiding the Brit in exchange for wanting money fights that he feels offer more to his legacy.
One of those potential legacy fights that could work, if UFC were willing to do a rare co-promote, would see the lineal octagon champion take on the man who took his vacated title. But Jones seems more interested in trolling fans online instead of taking any such fight.
“Crazy how being called a ‘duck’ pays better than most of you Internet tough guys will make in a lifetime,” he wrote in his latest antagonistic message. “Two fights in four years and still one of the biggest names in the sport? That’s not ducking, that’s winning. God’s blessings hit different, stay mad.”
And Francis Ngannou made a rare reponse to the tweet, telling his rival: “Blessings make haters uncomfortable, but they can’t change it. There’s only one fight, the right fight that will multiply your blessings. #NgannouVSJones.”
PFL boss challenges UFC to help make Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones
The feud between Jones and Ngannou is a lengthy one, that had seemed to be settled last year when the Cameroonian opted to join the PFL and pursue a boxing run. In that time he dropped Tyson Fury in the ring, before making his Smart Cage debut, and is now looking for his next challenge.
And PFL boss Peter Murray believes the ball is in the UFC’s court, telling TalkSPORT yesterday that it is on the promotion, and boss Dana White, to make the call. “Yeah, I mean we’re supportive of it,” Murray explained.
“The fighters want the fight, Jon Jones wants the fight, Francis wants the fight, we want the fight, our partners here in Saudi want the fight. It comes down to, does the UFC want to step up to it or not, period.”
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