Skip to main content

Dana White Insists Francis Ngannou Avoided Fight With Jon Jones

Photo: Instagram/Francis Ngannou

UFC president Dana White continues to claim that Francis Ngannou left the UFC to avoid fighting Jon Jones. It's been nearly a year and a half since Ngannou, then the heavyweight champion, parted ways with the UFC. Despite Ngannou's repeated statements that he left to gain more control over his career, White stands firm on his belief.

In a conversation with Shannon Sharpe on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast, White pointed to Jon Jones' easy win over Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title as evidence that Ngannou didn't want to face Jones. White said, "In my opinion, he does the same thing to Francis. 100 percent. He does the same thing to Francis. Francis didn't want to fight Jon Jones. Jon Jones is the scariest, most bad-ass fighter of all time."

White praised Jones' fighting skills and suggested that his legacy won't be fully appreciated until he's retired. "When you talk about who the baddest man on the planet is, two guys get locked in a room, who is walking out? It's Jon Jones all day, every time," he added.

Photo: Instagram/Francis Ngannou

Ngannou, however, has a different story. He left the UFC despite being offered a record-breaking deal in early 2023 because some of his major demands weren't met. These included waiving the UFC's extension, exclusive negotiating window, and contract-matching clauses.

Ngannou told "The MMA Hour" in January 2023, "In that contract, I'm not free. I'm not an independent contractor. I have no rights, I have no power. I hand over all the power to you guys, and I've seen in the past how you can utilize that power."

After leaving the UFC, Ngannou signed with the PFL but hasn't competed there yet. He has had two major boxing matches, almost beating Tyson Fury before losing by split decision and then being knocked out by Anthony Joshua.

Read Next: Manny Pacquiao Delivers Stern Verdict On Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford

Source: CBS Sports 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Oscar De La Hoya Accuses Eddie Hearn of Favoritism And Personal Misconduct

Photo: Oscar De La Hoya, Eddie Hearn / Instagram   Oscar De La Hoya , a well-known boxing promoter, has made some serious accusations against Eddie Hearn, his fellow promoter. De La Hoya shared his thoughts in a now-deleted Instagram post during Thanksgiving, stirring up drama in the boxing world. De La Hoya first criticized Hearn’s handling of WBC Lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson . But things got personal when he mentioned rumors that Hearn is romantically involved with female boxer Skye Nicolson, who holds the WBC Featherweight title. According to De La Hoya, their relationship has been a topic of gossip in the boxing community since 2022. He went further, accusing Hearn of showing "preferential treatment" to Nicolson. De La Hoya pointed to a video of Hearn and Nicolson appearing "cozy" outside a club in Miami, claiming Hearn should have been focusing on promoting the big women's fight between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor , instead of making moves for ...
Post a Comment
Read More

Ben Affleck Turns To Ex Jennifer Garner For Help After Split With Jennifer Lopez

Photo: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner / Instagram   Ben Affleck is looking ahead after his split from Jennifer Lopez and has reportedly turned to his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner , for support in finding love again. According to a report by Radar Online, Affleck has asked Garner to help him find a partner who is grounded and genuine. A source shared, “He’s ready for something real. Jennifer is great at spotting genuine people, and he trusts her judgment. He’s done with Hollywood divas and wants someone mature.” Garner, who shares three children with Affleck — Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12 — is reportedly happy to help. “She wants Ben to be happy and is glad to have a say in who he dates, as that person will be around their kids,” the insider added. Photo: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner / Instagram   Affleck and Garner were married for 13 years before divorcing in 2018 but have remained close, co-parenting their kids and supporting each other through challenges. Meanwhile...
Post a Comment
Read More

Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals Justin Gaethje Hit Him Hardest In UFC Career

Photo: Khabib Nurmagomedov / Instagram Khabib Nurmagomedov , one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, has faced many tough opponents. But when it comes to punching power, he says no one hit harder than Justin Gaethje . The two fought at UFC 254 on October 24, 2020. It was Khabib’s last fight before retiring. During the bout, Gaethje landed heavy punches and kicks that Khabib admitted were painful. “He hit like a truck,” Khabib said on Mike Tyson ’s Hotboxin' podcast. “His left hook, right hook, uppercut—they all hurt. But I made him hit me because I knew he didn’t like wrestling. My plan was to tire him out by standing with him, then take him to the ground and finish the fight.” Photo: Khabib Nurmagomedov / Instagram Khabib ended the fight with a triangle choke submission. He explained he chose the move out of respect for Gaethje’s parents, who were watching. “I didn’t want to break his arm in front of his parents,” Khabib said. “So I put him to sleep instead. That’s better.” D...
Post a Comment
Read More