Francis Ngannou still has Jon Jones at the top of his wish list.
The former UFC heavyweight champion, who held the belt from March 2021 to January 2023, says a showdown with Jones remains the matchup he wants most before walking away from the sport. "Jon Jones is the fight that I really want to have before my retirement," Ngannou said.
Ngannou and Jones publicly lobbied to fight each other in the past, but contracts were never sent. Looking back on the failed super fight, Ngannou said, "Disappoint me? No," and added, "It was never really on the table, so I don’t have to be disappointed. The only time that he seems like a possibility was when he was used as bait, something to bait me."
After defending his title at UFC 270 in January 2022, Ngannou attempted to negotiate a new UFC deal that included potential boxing bouts before eventually becoming a free agent. He later moved to the PFL and competed once before parting ways with the promotion in March.
Ngannou maintains he is open to the right deal. "Listen, I have no problem with contracts," he said. "So I really don’t have a problem with a contract itself. When I sign a contract, I make sure that I deliver. I honor my part of the contract. So I don’t have problem with the contract. Bring me the contract, I look at it. If it’s right, I sign. It has to be right and fair, that’s all that I’m saying."
For now, Ngannou is scheduled to fight Philipe Lins at the Rousey vs. Carano event on Netflix on May 16.
