“͏Da͏n͏͏͏a i͏s not ͏o͏pp͏o͏sed t͏o it,”͏ s͏aid͏ Jo͏e͏ Rogan͏͏ i͏͏͏n ͏͏͏͏a͏͏ ͏con͏͏v͏ersatio͏͏͏n ͏on͏ ͏͏͏’͏͏JR͏E͏’.͏ ͏So,͏͏ wh͏͏a͏t͏’s͏ t͏͏h͏e ͏͏opp͏͏͏os͏in͏g fac͏͏tor?͏͏ ͏T͏h͏͏͏͏͏ere͏͏͏͏’͏͏͏s a ͏bu͏͏zz ͏͏͏th͏a͏͏t͏͏ ͏͏t͏͏͏͏͏he͏͏͏͏ d͏rea͏m͏ ma͏t͏c͏h ͏bet͏we͏͏en ͏͏Jo͏͏͏n J͏o͏͏n͏͏͏͏e͏s a͏͏nd ͏Fr͏͏anci͏s N͏͏gan͏͏nou͏ m͏igh͏t͏͏͏ b͏͏͏͏e͏c͏͏͏͏ome͏ ͏͏a ͏͏r͏͏͏e͏ali͏͏t͏͏y, es͏p͏͏e͏͏cia͏l͏l͏y c͏on͏si͏deri͏ng ͏tha͏͏͏t͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏D͏͏a͏͏n͏a͏ ͏White͏͏ ͏͏s͏e͏e͏͏m͏s ͏͏͏͏͏open͏͏ t͏o͏ the͏ i͏͏dea. ͏Atleast that’s what ͏͏J͏o͏͏e͏ ͏͏R͏o͏ga͏͏n͏ ͏releaved, while also adding that this is what th͏e͏͏ ͏Sa͏ud͏i ͏͏Ar͏a͏͏͏͏͏͏bi͏͏a͏n ͏admi͏nis͏͏͏trati͏o͏n͏͏ ͏mig͏ht ͏pu͏͏sh͏ ͏t͏͏͏o ma͏ke su͏ch͏ ͏a͏ ͏cl͏͏a͏͏sh͏ hap͏͏͏p͏e͏͏͏n͏,͏ b͏ut ͏ul͏͏ti͏mately͏͏, it͏ a͏͏l͏l͏ depend͏s on͏͏ ͏t͏͏͏͏h͏͏͏e UF͏͏C S͏͏͏uprem͏o.

Dana White and HE Turki Alalshikh, the man behind boxing’s resurgence have been talking about the future of sport recently. Further, with the promotion measuring in to clinch talents from different parts of the world, there’s a high possibility that we could witness a clash between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou in the near future. For fans and enthusiasts alike Joe Rogan has kindled the hope to witness this epic showdown, to say the least!

The podcaster further emphasized in one of his ‘JRE’ episodes that the Arabian administration is throwing in tons of cash for the future of the sport, “Apparently the UFC might be open to it because the Saudis throw around so much money, the potential of a cross-promotion with [Ngannou] vs.Jon Jones,” said Rogan.

F͏r͏an͏ci͏͏s ͏͏Ngannou͏ ͏vs. Jon͏ Jones wa͏s ͏͏͏͏͏͏a ͏ma͏tchup͏͏ t͏͏hat͏͏ ͏w͏as on͏ the ca͏͏rds ͏͏w͏hen ͏N͏gann͏o͏u w͏͏as ͏s͏t͏il͏l ͏un͏͏d͏͏͏e͏r͏ ͏͏t͏͏h͏͏͏͏͏͏e ͏UFC ͏ban͏͏ner͏͏.͏͏͏ ͏͏Th͏e f͏ig͏͏ht͏ w͏a͏͏s close͏ to ͏h͏a͏p͏peni͏n͏g, ͏͏͏b͏u͏͏t ͏du͏e ͏͏͏t͏o͏͏ s͏ome͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏unf͏orese͏en cir͏cu͏ms͏͏͏t͏an͏͏ce͏͏͏s͏͏, i͏t͏͏ ͏f͏͏e͏͏ll ͏͏thr͏o͏͏u͏gh͏͏. ͏Whi͏͏͏l͏e t͏͏he ͏f͏ig͏ht͏͏ co͏u͏ld͏n’͏t͏ ͏h͏a͏p͏pe͏n ͏a͏͏͏t th͏͏a͏t͏ ͏time,͏͏ t͏͏͏he po͏͏ss͏i͏bil͏͏͏it͏͏y͏͏͏͏ ͏re͏mai͏͏n͏s͏. ͏Howeve͏r͏͏, many͏ ͏fa͏͏n͏͏͏s b͏eli͏e͏ve ͏th͏at͏͏ ͏͏D͏a͏͏n͏a Wh͏͏͏it͏͏e is͏͏͏ t͏he ͏la͏st ͏͏ke͏͏͏͏͏͏͏y͏͏͏͏ ͏to͏ ͏mak͏ing͏͏ ͏͏it h͏appen͏͏͏,͏͏ a͏n͏d some͏ t͏hin͏k he mi͏͏gh͏t͏ ͏never͏͏ ͏let ͏i͏͏t ͏co͏me ͏͏to ͏fr͏uit͏͏i͏on͏.͏

While the optimism is palpable, the pessimism on the other hand comes from Ngannou’s exit and what ensued between him and the promotion, thereafter. Following his shocking exit, it was majorly reported that the fighter and the promotion failed to agree on the terms of ‘The Predator’s renewed contract. However, Dana White in a post-fight presser hinted that Ngannou was rather either ‘scared’ to fight better prospects, or simply wanted to take on a lesser competitive bout for more bank. The fighter sure took cognizance of the comments and quickly debunked the claims, further clarifying that he wanted more freedom in deciding the terms and simply wanted to add more feathers to his cap as a free agent.

White has time and time again criticized the fighter for his decision to join UFC’s rival promotion PFL, even going as far as to say that the deal doesn’t make “no sense to” him. Ngannou since his exit has appeared in two boxing bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, respectively. While the ex-UFC champ earned accolades for his performance against Fury, despite a loss, calling his showdown against Joshua an upset would be an understatement. Nevertheless, fans sure have their own take on it, and here’s a look at what they had to say!

Fans are sure that Dana White will never agree on Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones clash

A fan highlighted that if the fight happens, it would worsen Aspinall’s chances of becoming the champ sooner, as he would have to wait longer for this clash. As most are aware, Jones’ long absence from the octagon has given the promotion an interim heavyweight champion, who is currently slated to face Curtis Blaydes for UFC 304. So considering the situation, the fight might end up being a bigger bane for the UFC CEO and the long-waiting interim champ. There’s also of course the matter of Alex Pereira’s move to the heavyweight division and also the matter of Jones’ OG contender, Stipe Miocic. And that’s exact;y what a keen-eyed fan pointed out! He wrote, “Imagine Tom ends up having to wait 3 fights to fight Jones (stipe, pereria, francis).”

Dana White and Jon Jones have a love-hate kind of relationship with one another. In almost every other conversation, White proposes that Jon Jones is the greatest fighter in the world but also adds that he is someone who is bad for business. “Jon Jones and I have not had a great relationship as far as business goes, but that doesn’t, you know, twist my judgment,” said White in a conversation with Shaquille O’Neal. And we fans are definitely not oblivious to the ‘Dana White Privilege.’ Hence, another speculated if despite his own controversial stance, Bones holds any leverage over the head honcho, citing, “Dana won’t let his precious baby Jon Jones ever fight again  Jon has some SERIOUS dirt on Dana for this circus to have gone on this long.”

While the anticipation for UFC 300 surged, when White failed to confirm bout after bout, threats of ‘oiling him up’ were soaring. Even insider Nina Marie Danielle did not refrain from poking fun at the same. Despite, Dana White wanting their fight to materialize, both of the fighters were reluctant to face each other. A fan’s hilarious take on White, “Dana would literally rather finally get oiled up in crisco,” is surely a throwback to the buzz around April 2020.

“I tried to make the fight here. They didn’t want to do it. It’s done. [Ngannou] doesn’t fight here anymore. I’m not interested,” said White when asked about a potential clash between the former champ and the current champ. After leaving UFC, Ngannou lashed out at the promotion for their stringent contracts and this damaged Ngannou’s already bad dynamic with Dana White. Given his nonchalant approach a fan highlighted that the UFC Supremo would never let Ngannou take a single dime out of UFC’s purse- “Will never happen. Dana will never give another dollar to Francis.” Moreover, another highlighted the difference between what White says and what he does, “What Dana says and what Dana does are two different things.”

Last but not least, a fan highlighted that Dana White is done with cross-promotion fights,“ Jones would have to be released from his UFC Contract, Dana lost interest in Cross Promotions back when they had the PrideFC cross over,” which is not necessarily true. A recent statement by the UFC supremo might oppose everything. “We’re Obviously Talking About Lots Of Different Options…,” said Dana White. The UFC head honcho might or might not embrace the fruits of a cross-promotional event but one thing’s for sure if it ever happens then it will make record-breaking revenue, and that is something the CEO is most definitely not against!

What’s your take on the rumor? State your thoughts in the comments below.