"I came back ready for Francis Ngannou" - Jon Jones makes honest revelation about fighting Ciryl Gane instead of 'The Predator'
Jon Jones appeared set to challenge Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight title in his return from a three-year hiatus from mixed martial arts. Instead, 'The Predator' left the UFC and 'Bones' faced Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title, needing just over two minutes to pick up a first-round submission victory. The heavyweight champion discussed his heavyweight debut, as well as the change in opponent.
During a recent appearance on the OverDogs Podcast, Jones stated:
"The funny thing is, the narrative has switched. The narrative switched somehow and everyone is saying that I waited three years and I came back exactly when Francis was gone. That's actually not true. When I got back, Francis was very much on the roster still and I could have been his last fight, but instead he opted out and Ciryl Gane took Francis' spot."
Jones added that while he came back ready to face Ngannou, the change of opponent was not a bad thing, stating:
"I came back ready for Francis Ngannou, for sure. I'm not going to lie though, knowing that I was fighting Ciryl Gane instead of Francis was kind of nice."
Check out Jon Jones' comments on Francis Ngannou below (starting at the 22:35 mark):
Jones has not fought since defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, however, he will defend the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. Meanwhile, Ngannou is set to face Tyson Fury in his boxing debut in October. He will continue his mixed martial arts career in 2024 after signing with the Professional Fighters League.
Jon Jones shares why he is uninterested in facing Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich
Jon Jones has shared that he plans to defend his heavyweight title just one time before retiring. 'Bones' recently revealed why he is uninterested in facing Tom Aspinall or Sergei Pavlovich. During his appearance on the OverDogs Podcast, the heavyweight champion stated:
"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. 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 below (starting at the 21:45 mark):
Jones has called his upcoming UFC 295 title defense against Stipe Miocic a legacy fight. While he shared that he would have liked to face Francis Ngannou, the legendary mixed martial artist could be making his final appearance in the octagon in November.