Something unprecedented has happened in the UFC Francis Ngannou has left the UFC to avoid a confrontation with Jon Jones and has made his title available.
The UFC world heavyweight title is up for grabs! Find out who will be crowned the new champion and what it takes to become the best in the world.
Of course, the issue of Ngannou’s departure is not without controversy. Dana White, president of the UFC, says the Cameroonian wanted to fight less competition for more money and wasn’t too interested in facing off against ‘Bones’.
‘The Predator’ has not revealed the figures he spoke to White about, but it is said that the UFC’s top leader did not like that Ngannou imposed his own terms since he wanted to sign for three fights: two against Jon Jones and another with Miocic.
The problem is that the UFC considered that three fights was too little and wanted to capitalize as much as possible on the champion of champions.
In addition, the straw that broke the camel’s back was the champion’s extra requests, such as the right to own sponsorship, medical insurance for all the company’s fighters, and that they have the right to participate through a representative in UFC meetings.
Ngannou said that he already knew that this was very complicated but that he was willing to accept White’s terms if he agreed to any of this. “I was always willing to give in over and over and over again, but give me a break. Give me something, just one of these requests.”
Francis decided it was time to put the UFC down, though he notes he hasn’t taken it personally from White against him.
He now claims that he will try to fight in a boxing match against Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua.
The fight for the championship has already been agreed
The UFC hasn’t waited long, and on March 4, at UFC 285, Jon Jones will face Ciryl Gane for the world heavyweight title vacated by Francis Ngannou.
Jones’ return is one of the most anticipated in the UFC, he has not fought since February 2020 and has one of the best records in the sport, a two-time light heavyweight champion, with 11 title defenses between 2011 and 2020, facing the best.
Now in a new category, the American will have to show that he is fully adapted and that his months of training have been worth it.
His skills are more than enough to regain his status as pound-for-pound number one. In his last fight, he retained the light heavyweight belt after defeating Dominick Reyes by unanimous decision in the main event at UFC 247.
Months later, he decided to hand over the belt and began preparing for his new challenge.
English fighter Dan Hardy has doubts about how well prepared Jones is for this challenge. “We don’t know how he will perform with the bigger frame. Of course, he has the height and reach of a heavyweight: (6-foot-4), 84.5 inches (reach).
He could easily go heavyweight, but would he be the same fighter he was at light heavyweight?
The times he did fight at light heavyweight was when he was up against someone who had similar physical attributes.
“Remember (Alexander) Gustafsson’s first fight, which was very problematic for him to begin with.
Dominick Reyes was a pain for him at times, and I feel like Jon gives up a lot of his natural advantages that he had at light heavyweight when he moves up to heavyweight.”
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