Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic – a clash between these two Heavyweight titans is due for a long time. After a dominant victory over Ciryl Gane, Jones made it clear that he was here to dominate the #1 Heavyweight spot. He openly called out Miocic for a fight, and the duo is expected to duke it out at UFC 290 – where Jones will put his Heavyweight title on the line. But the buzz around the clash seems to be slowly fading away. Notable MMA names like Chael Sonnen have expressed their doubts over the fruition of what’s promised. Adding fuel to the fire, yet another prominent ex-UFC Heavyweight has stirred the pot with his comments on the potential fight.
We’re talking about PFL star Francis Ngannou. Yes – you heard it right. Even after parting ways with the UFC on a bitter note, ‘The Predator’ still seems to follow every development that sparks his interest. Ever since his own potential ‘super-fight’ against Jon Jones lost traction, he’s hardly away from the headlines.
Francis Ngannou takes a swipe – cautions Jon Jones over ‘tough’ Stipe Miocic
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, the former UFC champ sat down to give his two cents ahead of the destined UFC 290 bout between Jones and Miocic. What’s more – the PFL star made some intriguing remarks about Stipe. The Cameroonian also stated why he thinks Stipe should be given more credit than what he gets from fans and critics.
Cool as ever, the 36-year-old explained, “It’s going to be tough for Jones. I think – we all at some point, we don’t give the credit that is due to Stipe.”
The PFL star further asserted his stance, adding, “…For me, he’s[Stipe] still the [#1] guy at Heavyweight.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Moreover, Ngannou argued that Miocic was “certainly the most challenging guy in the Heavyweight division.” And why wouldn’t you say that? After all, ‘The Silencer’ has squared off against ‘The Predator’ twice. Ngannou concluded his arguments, stating, “If you get to fight Stipe… Tell yourself…you’re fighting for the World Cup – for the world title.”
Although Miocic’s been out of the game for a while, his stats speak volumes – he’s won 3 of his last 5 title fights and boasts an impressive record of 20 wins and just 4 losses. His most recent fight was way back in 2021 when he clashed against Ngannou, but lost the title by a second-round TKO. But Ngannou definitely has had a taste of Stipe’s power. After all, both have fought twice (UFC 220, UFC 260) and are 1-1 against each other.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Do you agree with Ngannou? Let us know in the comments below.
Watch this story: After Intense Beef Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones Faceoff Raises the Roof at PFL Five