YouTube boxing star Jake Paul has thrown his support behind a potential blockbuster MMA clash between former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Paul’s endorsement comes shortly after Ngannou’s explosive return to mixed martial arts, where he made his PFL debut with a stunning first-round stoppage of Renan Ferreira.

The duo went toe-to-toe at the PFL Super Fights event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ngannou stopped the fight with some brutal ground strikes after nearly three years away from the cage. In the aftermath of the match, Ngannou shed tears for his late 15-month-old son Kobe, who tragically passed away earlier this year.

“I can’t think about anything [other] than my son Kobe. I only took this fight because of him,” the 38-year-old said. “I went to fight for him. I hope they can remember his name because without Kobe, we wouldn’t be here tonight. I wouldn’t have fought.” Ngannou left the UFC about 22 months ago and has since become one of the biggest names in combat sports. 

The heavyweight squared off against Tyson Fury in October last year, pushing the English heavyweight to his limits. He later tasted brutal defeat at the hands of Anthony Joshua. However, with his blockbuster return, Francis Ngannou seems to have made a statement about his place in the MMA. And Jake Paul, for one, is trying to rejuvenate the conversation about a potential fight between Ngannou and Jones, which never happened while the two were in UFC. 

“Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones. That’s what I want. That’s what you want. Repost this now,” Paul wrote in a tweet. “That’s some king s**t. They tried to underpay him but he had the b**ls to find his way out. Respect Francis #Kobe,” Paul wrote in another post on X. However, things didn’t end here.

Jake Paul brands Francis Ngannou the top heavyweight ahead of Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic bout

Jake Paul wasn’t content with just two tweets about Ngannou—as he went on to brand the former UFC heavyweight champion as the best. It’s worth noting that Jon ‘Bones’ Jones is gearing up to square off against Stipe Miocic on November 17th, which is close to Paul’s big fight with Mike Tyson on November 15th. 

Regardless, Paul wrote, “I love Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. But don’t forget the last time Stipe fought he was KOd by Francis Ngannou. So no matter who wins that fight, the top heavyweight is Francis.” While Paul may be taking a dig at Jones vs. Miocic because of the proximity of his and their fights, he has been critical of the UFC’s handling of the former champion as well. 

Paul has especially criticized the UFC’s pay structure, suggesting Ngannou leaving the promotion for better opportunities was the absolute best move on Ngannou’s part. Meanwhile, UFC honcho Dana White has been unwilling to entertain a cross-promotional fight, making the Ngannou vs. Jones fight impossible. 

It appears despite numerous pleas from Jake Paul and the entire combat world in general, a potential fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones isn’t on the cards. Regardless, what did you think of Ngannou’s return?