Francis Ngannou couldn’t have had a better return to MMA as he knocked out Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL heavyweight championship on October 19, 2024. Jon Jones, on the other hand, is finally returning to the Octagon against Stipe Miocic on November 16, 2024.
Ngannou was the UFC heavyweight kingpin before Jones moved up to the division. Many fans eagerly wanted to see them fight, but before anything could materialize, Ngannou left the UFC and signed with the PFL. He also boxed in high-profile matchups against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
“The Predator” was recently asked on The Ariel Helwani Show if he could still fight “Bones”. The lineal heavyweight MMA champion claimed that the superfight is not completely off the table and that figures like Turki Alalshikh might play a role in it.
Alalshikh, as the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has helped organize several major combat sports events over the last few years.
Daniel Cormier reviewed Ngannou’s statements on his YouTube channel recently. He admitted that White’s rocky relationship with the PFL champ is a problem, but Riyadh Season’s inclusion could shake things up.
The former UFC champ mentioned that Riyadh Season sponsoring UFC 306 was a huge development, and might have laid the foundation for crossovers like Jones vs. Ngannou.
“Dana does not like Francis, that is a massive problem. Massive problem. But hell, when in the world do you put that over business. I don’t know that he will, he’s one of the smartest, sharpest businessman you’ve ever met. If the dollars make sense, the fight could potentially happen,” DC continued. “If Francis is to be believed, and Francis has had these conversations, we’re now entering a world where multiple partnerships already established in this realm. ESPN UFC, ESPN PFL, Riyadh Season UFC. Ladies and gentleman, maybe, just maybe, we get that fight.”
DC also believes White is smart enough to put personal differences aside for a lucrative business opportunity. He isn’t sure that Ngannou and Jones will fight in MMA, but he’s not ruling out the possibility entirely.
