PFL co-founder Donn Davis revealed what would be financially on the line for Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and interim titleholder Tom Aspinall could be on a collision course later this year, but in the meantime, another super fight for Jones has resurfaced in recent days.
Jones and the UFC remain in talks to potentially secure the Aspinall showdown for later this year. Aspinall recently alleged he has a fight date and location secured for his Octagon return, but didn’t reveal whether or not Jones will be his next opponent.
After Jones announced his full-time transition to heavyweight in 2020, a showdown with Francis Ngannou was at the top of the UFC’s wish list. But the matchup never came to fruition, and Ngannou left the promotion in 2023 following a long contract dispute with the UFC.
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Donn Davis shares detailed route to PFL/UFC cross-promo to secure Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou
Ngannou then signed with the PFL; and talks of a potential cross-promotional showdown between Jones and Ngannou immediately surfaced. But UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly declined to work with the PFL to make the fight happen, amid a hostile relationship with Ngannou.
But White might want to take PFL co-founder Donn Davis‘s recent offer into consideration after the eye-opening financial proposal for Jones vs. Ngannou.
In a recent post to X, Davis revealed the money at stake for a Jones vs. Ngannou super fight.
“PROPOSAL…WINNER TAKE ALL. MMA best heavyweight of all time. Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones,” Davis posted.
“Francis wins…PFL and Francis split 100% of the event profits. Jon wins…UFC and Jon split 100% of the event profits.”
Ngannou made his MMA comeback last year against former PFL titleholder Renan Ferreira, winning by TKO. It was Ngannou’s first MMA fight since defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.
Jones and Ngannou came face-to-face at a PFL event in 2023, fueling the fire to speculation over a potential showdown in the cage. Jones went on to fight Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November, and a timeline for his return to the Octagon is uncertain.
Dana White’s bad blood with Francis Ngannou is a major obstacle for Jon Jones fight
But a significant obstacle to a potential Jones vs. Ngannou fight is White, who shared an adversarial relationship with the former UFC heavyweight champ Ngannou. White has publicly admitted his disdain for Ngannou going back years, and alleged he wanted to cut Ngannou from the roster after early losses to Miocic and Derrick Lewis.
Ngannou and White will likely never come to an amiable middle-ground, and Jones vs. Aspinall is the fight the UFC headman still wants to make come to fruition later this year. Aspinall is the UFC’s longest-reigning interim titleholder and defended the belt last July at UFC 304.
MMA’s heavyweight division continues to add top stars, and Jones and Ngannou sit at the top of the heap.