Quite possibly the biggest superfight to be made in the UFC is heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou versus former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. However, it won’t happen next.
UFC president Dana White recently spoke with TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter about “Bones” and what’s next for the heavyweight title. White revealed that the promotion is working on scheduling a fight between Ngannou and No. 2-ranked heavyweight Derrick Lewis for the summer.
It will be Ngannou’s first title defense since winning the belt in March. “The Predator” knocked out then-heavyweight king Stipe Miocic in the second round in the main event of UFC 260.
Should the two meet this summer, it will be the second time Ngannou and Lewis fight. They competed in 2018 and Lewis won the fight by unanimous decision in what was a largely uneventful bout.
For Jones, White told Bronsteter that he expects Bones and the chief business officer of the UFC, Hunter Campbell, to reach an agreement.
“Whether Jon has a manager or not, Jon is going to do what Jon is going to do,” White said. “It’s probably something that Jon needs to work out.”
“Him and Hunter have a good relationship. So, I think those guys are going to get together soon and talk. You look at the last how many years, people ask me who I think the best ever is and I say Jon Jones. Jon Jones is a massive part of the history of this company. He’s one of the best ever.”
White continued, “Obviously, there are still some big fights to be made with him. We would love to do it. It’s not like we can’t get something done over here.”
Per Dana White, Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis is being targeted for this summer.
Earlier today, he gave me an update on where the promotion stood with Jon Jones.
Full interview: https://t.co/7HQ2SihfW9 pic.twitter.com/JfEZsef7hx
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 10, 2021
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Ngannou vs. Jones Would Feature a Compelling Fight Between 2 Giants
By many accounts, Bones is the greatest fighter of all time. And to many, Ngannou is the scariest fighter in UFC history. Jones vs. Ngannou would feature an electrifying matchup between the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world against a fighter that has knocked out a dozen competitors.
Jones has only lost once in MMA, a disqualification to Matt Hamill in 2009. He has competed in a title fight the last 15 times he’s stepped inside the Octagon and has earned a professional record of 26-1 with one no-contest.
Ngannous is 16-3 as a professional fighter, with 12 wins by KO/TKO and four by submission. In the Octagon, he’s knocked out some of the best heavyweights ever, including former champions Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
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Derrick Lewis Is a Bonafide Top Contender
GettyDerrick Lewis kicks Aleksei Oleinik in their heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 08, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The Black Beast” has earned his right to compete for heavyweight gold.
He is currently riding a four-fight win streak, including finishes over Curtis Blaydes and Aleksei Oleinik. He fought for the title once before but fell short to Daniel Cormier, losing by second-round submission in 2018.
Lewis has a professional MMA record of 25-7 with one no-contest. He holds the heavyweight record for most wins via KO/TKO and is tied with Vitor Belfort for most KO/TKO victories in UFC history, with 12.
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