The combined martial arts (MMA) world misplaced its collective thoughts when it appeared there was a chance to see Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones in 2023.
Sadly for everybody, that battle didn’t get too near materializing. As an alternative, Ngannou departed Final Combating Championship (UFC) completely whereas he was nonetheless holding the Heavyweight title. The title’s emptiness led to Jones claiming the throne with a primary spherical guillotine choke over Ciryl Gane (watch highlights) in March 2023.
Regardless of Ngannou’s transfer to Skilled Fighters League (PFL), there have been transient continued teases from the promotion about desirous to arrange the dream match up. Nevertheless, it’s most unlikely to occur and former three-time UFC Heavyweight champion-turned-PFL commentator, Randy Couture, believes he is aware of why.
“I do know the UFC’s acquired too huge [of] an ego to let that occur,” Couture instructed MMA Combating. “That’s why the Fedor [Emelianenko] battle by no means occurred [for me]. As a result of M-1 wished to do a co-promotion and the UFC’s by no means going to let that occur.
“I don’t see the champ within the UFC ever getting a shot at preventing the champ from PFL or some other group for that matter, and that’s unlucky,” he concluded. “That’s a disgrace that the followers are by no means going to get to see these kind of matchups. That’s one of many flaws and points in our sport proper now.”
In reference to his would-be battle in opposition to Emelianenko, the proposed megafight was one of many largest in MMA that by no means occurred. Typically, issues simply aren’t meant to be for one purpose or one other and the Heavyweight division has traditionally accrued extra of those situations than battle followers would love. Possibly we’ll at the very least get fortunate with Jones vs. Tom Aspinall as UFC CEO, Dana White, optimistically expects.
