Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has responded to the current criticism he obtained from Jon Jones.
Jones (26-1 MMA) will return to the Octagon for the primary time in over three years this Saturday night time in the principle occasion of UFC 285. ‘Bones’ is about to sq. off with Ciryl Gane (11-1 MMA) for the promotion’s vacant heavyweight world title.
Forward of the extremely anticipated matchup, Jon Jones sat down with RMC Sport the place he claimed that Francis Ngannou wasn’t prepared to “gamble on himself”, and thus their proposed super-fight by no means got here to fruition.
“I don’t assume I deserve any criticism. I’m right here, I’m right here. Francis has the chance to face me, and he opted out of the chance. If anybody needs to be criticized, it’s Francis Ngannou. If I’m right, he was provided the largest contract in heavyweight historical past. He had the chance to be the man to dethrone me,” Jones stated.
“He didn’t consider in himself, Francis didn’t consider in himself, he wasn’t prepared to gamble on himself. I felt dangerous for the followers.”
Jones would later take to Twitter the place he defined why he “modified his tone” on Ngannou and selected to assault him.
I discovered an interview of Francis speaking about he’ll perpetually be the undisputed champion as a result of nobody beat him. As soon as I noticed that, my tone modified. I believed I might inform how I actually felt. He did make the appropriate resolution, he left earlier than I got here again. Good transfer!
— BONY (@JonnyBones) February 25, 2023
“I discovered an interview of Francis speaking about he’ll perpetually be the undisputed champion as a result of nobody beat him. As soon as I noticed that, my tone modified. I believed I might inform how I actually felt. He did make the appropriate resolution, he left earlier than I got here again. Good transfer!”
Now two days faraway from Jones’ criticism going public, Francis Ngannou has taken to social media with a response for “Jonny boy”.
Jonny boy decide a aspect of the fence 😂 https://t.co/c0TXsl33jD pic.twitter.com/TWPNWvX85H
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) February 28, 2023
“Jonny boy decide a aspect of the fence 😂” – Ngannou wrote whereas captioning a photograph Jones seemingly contradicting himself.
“He was by no means the sunshine heavyweight champion,” Jones beforehand stated of his longtime rival Daniel Cormier. “He by no means beat me. This has been my period since 2011. I wish to make that loud and clear. ‘DC’ is not any champ-champ. Once we discuss in regards to the asterisk subsequent to my title, there’s all the time going to be an asterisk subsequent to the concept of him being a champ-champ.”
Clearly, Francis Ngannou believes the identical logic listed above would apply to Jon Jones profitable the heavyweight title on Saturday night time by defeating Ciryl Gane.
Do you assume we’ll ever see Jones and Ngannou collide within the cage?
