Once Francis Ngannou erased Stipe Miocic via ruthless second-round ko in the main occasion of UFC 260, focus for several promptly looked to the concept of Ngannou defending his brand-new belt versus all-time terrific Jon Jones. The previous light heavyweight champion seemed to think the very same thing.
After first tweeting “Let’s play child,” Jones erased the tweet and changed it with a different business-minded approach, informing the UFC, “Show me the cash.”
Inquired about the scenario at the UFC 260 post-fight press conference, White joked, “If I’m Jon Jones as well as I’m home watching this fight, I begin thinking about moving to 185.”
Jones vacated the light heavyweight championship in 2020, a relocation made in preparation for his launching at heavyweight. After dominating the 205-pound ranks because of first winning the title in March 2011, several have prepared for Jones’ jump to heavyweight. This action could additionally define his legacy as the best competitor in the background of combined martial arts.
Jones has been loading on weight to bulk up for his brand-new department, something he pointed out in feedback to White’s declaration, tweeting, “Most likely to 185? I did not obtain all this weight for no reason.”
White was updated to that tweet during a journalism meeting, making it clear that it would certainly simply take one telephone call to UFC exec vice head of state Hunter Campbell to make it happen.
” I like it,” White stated. “That sounds significant then, Jon. Call Hunter right now. We can make that combat now, Jon. Call Seeker right now.”
Regardless of the possible exhilaration of Jones vs. Ngannou for the championship, White would certainly not completely devote to it being the defend the heavyweight division, instead of securing on Derrick Lewis, that beat Ngannou in a strange 2018 battle that saw the two sluggers decline to participate in the expected fireworks.
” Derrick Lewis is the fight to make, however, if Jon Jones truly wants that battle– it’s something to state you place on the weight and all that,” White stated. “I assure you, we can call Derrick Lewis and also among these various other heavyweights, and they desire the fight. If Jon Jones truly wants the battle, he can do his employ and obtain the battle.”
Ngannou also dealt with the suggestion of combating Jones when asked throughout his post-fight meeting, recommending he’d be up to the obstacle whenever Jones was interested, yet supplying a cautioning to the tale.
” For my point of view, Jon Jones is the best of all-time for combined fighting styles,” Ngannou stated. “Him going up is going to be a good thing. He’s a difficulty I will certainly take as well as will certainly be excellent on my resume. However, at this moment, he will be the challenger; I’m the champ. He’s turning up looking for me. I will certainly be here all set to fight in July or August.”
Jones might have delivered the most explicit statement on the probability of the battle happening with one last tweet.
” If anybody is asking yourself if I truly want to deal with, the response is yes,” Jones tweeted. “I also really intend to make money.”
