"Be careful what you wish for" - Jon Jones sends an ominous warning to UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou
Last month, UFC president Dana White confirmed that Jon Jones would not be next in line for the heavyweight title shot. However, it appears 'Bones' has not lost all hope of exerting himself in the title conversation yet.
In a recent tweet, Jon Jones called out heavyweight king Francis Ngannou. The Albuquerque native questioned the legitimacy of Ngannou's title reign as the Cameroon native is yet to make his first title defense.
"Remember you're not a champ until you defend that title @francis_ngannou be careful what you wish for," wrote Jon Jones.
Jon Jones' tweet seems to be in response to Francis Ngannou's recent interview with TMZ Sports. Ngannou explicitly stated that he wants to fight Jon Jones next and not Derrick Lewis, the number two-ranked contender promoted by the UFC brass as the next title challenger.
“I want Jon Jones...definitely...I don’t care about what the talk says. I love that fight. I have some size, too. I’m strong, too. I’m impressed (with his move to heavyweight). I know he’s very skilled, very talented. I respect that. But we are both men, and we’re going to find out.”
Check out TMZ's interview with Francis Ngannou below:
Why is Francis Ngannou campaigning for a fight with Jon Jones?
Francis Ngannou was recently in the news for questioning the pay structure of UFC fighters. The African-born champion's comments came right after Logan Paul's speculated income for the recent Floyd Mayweather matchup was released.
Ngnannou's public criticism was met with harsh words from Dana White. The UFC boss said in an interview with Submission Radio that, like the Paul brothers, Ngannou should've started a YouTube channel at the age of 12. White surmised that Logan Paul's net payout resulted from the massive social media fame that the Ohio native has garnered over the years.
“And, you know, ‘What am I doing wrong?' Well, you should’ve started a YouTube channel when you were 12 years old. Then, you’d be YouTube famous right now, and you could be boxing Floyd Mayweather, I guess. I guess that’s the answer,” said Dana White.
Watch Dana White's interview with Submission Radio below:
White's statements outright indicate that the UFC supremo isn't going to budge under pressure to increase overall fighter compensation. Hence, Francis Ngannou is eyeing a matchup with Jon Jones next, which guarantees a massive paycheck for both superstars.
Also Read: "I had nothing to do with the Jones-Ngannou negotiations" - Jon Jones' ex-manager clears the air regarding their split