Francis Ngannou has earned Jon Jones' disdain for opting out of chance to dethrone him
Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones believes that Francis Ngannou lacked the self-confidence to face him in the octagon.
In a recent interview with RMC Sport, Jones clapped back at criticisms for not facing Ngannou for the heavyweight title, reminding people that he was still in the UFC while 'The Predator' opted to walk away even after receiving a high-paying contract offer:
"I don't think I deserve any criticism. I'm here and Francis had the opportunity to face me and he opted out of the opportunity. If anyone should be criticized, it's Francis Ngannou. If I'm correct, he was offered the biggest contract in heavyweight history and he had the opportunity to be the guy to dethrone me and he didnt believe in himself ... He wasn't willing to gamble on himself."
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However, Jones is not counting out a future meeting with the Cameroonian. As 'Bones' sees it, the UFC brass would happily welcome back 'The Predator' into the promotion if the former heavyweight champion wants it.
The American is scheduled to face the No.1-ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 on March 4 for the vacant heavyweight title.
Ciryl Gane will face Jon Jones for the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285 💪 https://t.co/iWy2MKMUiM
Jones is currently on an 18-fight undefeated streak, while the Frenchman will be coming to the event brimming with confidence from his knockout victory over Tai Tuivasa in last year's Paris fight card.
Jon Jones hunting for heavyweight legend Stipe Miocic after fight with Ciryl Gane
Like any other fighter, legacy is something Jon Jones is after, and what better way is there to solidify one's legacy than defeating the true titans of the sport? The former light-heavyweight champion believes that a win over former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic would be a valuable feather in his cap.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, the 35-year-old revealed his intentions of gunning for a future matchup with Miocic, saying that he would be honored to defeat a legend of such stature:
"Stipe Miocic is who I've got my eyes on. People consider him the greatest heavyweight of all time and the opportunity to compete against such a man, I'd be honored. The opportunity to beat such a guy would be truly something special and that's what I want to do, I want to solidify my legacy."
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Stipe Miocic holds the record for the most consecutive title defenses in heavyweight history, with three defenses (4 in total across two tenures as champion).
The 40-year-old holds wins over promotional legends like Daniel Cormier, Mark Hunt, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, and Francis Ngannou, among others.