Whereas followers of the UFC’s heavyweight division need to see a championship unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, the person who selected to vacate the title for a extra profitable and mentally satisfying alternative understands why Jones would slightly face Alex Pereira.
Former UFC champ Francis Ngannou, who’s now a star within the PFL, was requested about Jones seeming to favor a matchup with the UFC mild heavyweight champion over the interim heavyweight titleholder. “The Predator” thinks there’s negotiation techniques at play on either side, however so far as legacy goes, Ngannou believes Jones would have way more to lose than achieve.
“Initially, I feel that is a few negotiation state of affairs that’s concerned [where] we don’t know the ups and downs,” Ngannou informed TMZ. “Everyone knows that the UFC makes use of that in a negotiation, ‘Oh, no, he doesn’t need to combat this man, he’s scared,’ after which that’s how the machine works. He’s able to choose what he needs.
“As he mentioned, ‘Aspinall wants that combat, I don’t want it,’ and while you take a look at it, just about true.”
Ngannou and Jones had been tied to a possible blockbuster matchup after Jones vacated the sunshine heavyweight title again in 2020. “Bones” reportedly requested for “Deontay Wilder cash” — round $30 million — in keeping with UFC CEO Dana White, which successfully put an finish to these negotiations.
In the long run, Ngannou left the UFC as lineal champion, and did so on his personal accord.
Since then, each Ngannou and Jones have proven public respect for each other, together with every congratulating the opposite after their latest victories over Renan Ferreira and Stipe Miocic respectively.
So if Jones doesn’t find yourself preventing Aspinall, Ngannou received’t begrudge him for it.
“There’s nothing extra that he’s going to [gain] in that combat aside from cash,” Ngannou mentioned. “However for Aspinall, which is somebody that’s coming and attempting to cement his method within the division, that may be every little thing.”
