Francis Ngannou reacts to Jon Jones' injury; says he's surprised with the UFC's interim title decision
Jon Jones was forced to withdraw from his upcoming UFC 295 heavyweight title bout against Stipe Miocic. The heavyweight champion tore the tendon that connects the pectoral muscle to the bone, according to UFC President Dana White. Francis Ngannou, who has exchanged words with 'Bones' for quite some time, shared his reaction to the news.
Speaking to Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, 'The Predator' stated:
"I think it's sad news. It's never good news when an athlete gets injured basically in training. I hope he recovers well. I was very excited to watch that fight and to see who was going to win that fight... Something like this, it's not a thing that you can blame to somebody. It can happen to everybody. It could've happened here. It could happen to anybody so I don't think that's a part of the decision, but yes, it sucks though."
When asked about the interim heavyweight title bout between Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall, Ngannou said:
"I haven't taken a look into that fight. I haven't think about that fight. I just saw the Jon Jones cancellation today. I was even surprised that they didn't get a replacement for Stipe."
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments on Jon Jones' injury below:
Will Jon Jones retire from mixed martial arts following injury?
Jon Jones is set to miss at least eight months after he was forced to withdraw from his UFC 295 heavyweight title bout against Stipe Miocic. There has been speculation that the injury could mark the end of both fighters' careers. The UFC's decision to book an interim title bout suggests that the two-time heavyweight champion would not be the opponent for 'Bones' in his return.
It is difficult to envision Miocic fighting contenders to earn a title shot as he is already 41 years old. Meanwhile, Jones previously revealed that he only wants to face a known fighter such as the No.3-ranked heavyweight or former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Speaking on the OverDogs Podcast, the heavyweight champion stated:
"Don’t get me wrong, these guys are amazing. They’re starching people in the first round, but as I get older, I have to look at it as a business and not just speak out of pride, but I have speak as my legacy and as a business."
He continued:
"If the hardcore fans know who these guys are, that’s great, but at the end of the day I have to fight people that the mainstream public is going to be excited about. Because when you’re in my position, there’s always going to be this new challenge that’s younger than you that everyone wants to see you do it one more time."
Check out Jon Jones' comments on facing upcoming heavyweight contenders below (starting at the 21:45 mark):
It is unclear if his stance will change when an upcoming contender holds the interim title. Furthermore, the possibility remains that the UFC could rebook the bout with Miocic.