Michael Bisping explains what Jon Jones needs to do in order to beat Francis Ngannou
Michael Bisping recently gave his take on a potential fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones. Bisping asserted that the only way 'Bones' can protect himself against Ngannou's thunderous striking is if he can take him down.
'The Count' admitted Ngannou has matured as a fighter since his UFC 220 loss at the hands of Stipe Miocic. He hailed the Cameroonian for improving his wrestling game and using it effectively against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.
When asked about a potential fight between Jones and Ngannou, here's what 'The Count' had to say:
"It all depends on Jon Jones' wrestling. If Jon can't take him down, he ain't beating Francis Ngannou. I don't care about, 'Oh, he's the master of gameplans,' and all this kind of stuff. If you're forced to stand toe-to-toe with Francis Ngannou, and you cannot take him down, Jon's probably going to get knocked out."
Watch Michael Bisping's appearance on Submission Radio here:
Jon Jones and 'The Predator' were previously rumored to clash inside the octagon after Jones teased a move to the UFC's heavyweight division. However, the fight failed to materialize.
The UFC claimed that Jones had demanded an unreasonable amount of money for the fight. 'Bones', on the other hand, maintained that the UFC never even entertained the possibility of negotiating a deal apart from his existing contract.
Ngannou, who had previously offered to welcome Jones to the division, has now declared that the fight no longer interests him. During the UFC 270 pre-fight press conference, Ngannou declared that he has moved on from the fight against 'Bones'.
Watch Ngannou's pre-fight press conference here:
Is Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic a possibility if Francis Ngannou enters free agency?
Francis Ngannou demanded greater financial benefits, health insurance and the freedom to compete in pro-boxing under his new contract. However, the UFC and Ngannou's management haven't come to an agreement yet.
Should they fail to negotiate a deal for Ngannou to prolong his stay under the promotional banner of the UFC, a fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic might be on the horizon.
Jones and Miocic could very well fight for the vacant heavyweight title. Ariel Helwani echoed a similar sentiment in a recent post on social media.
"If Francis Ngannou is out for a considerable amount of time either due to his knee injury or negotiations, I'd be totally down to see Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic next. That's the fight."
Check out Ariel Helwani's post below:
Jon Jones had previously declared that a fight against Stipe Miocic would be great for his legacy. Yet he admitted that since Miocic was no longer the champion, the fight didn't truly interest him.
However, in Ngannou's absence, a fight for the vacant heavyweight title could certainly draw Jones' attention towards the fight.