“Jones Wanted That Fight the Whole Time”: Dana White Yet Again Throws Shade at Francis Ngannou While Accusing the Former Champ of Ducking Jon Jones

There’s more to it than what meets the eye! In a recent encounter between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, the two fighters gave MMA fans a taste of what could have been a ‘clash of the titans’. Although UFC president Dana White has already expressed disinterest in making the fight happen, fans were still hopeful.

During the faceoff at the 2023 PFL 5 event, both Jones and Ngannou exchanged words, but things remained civil and no physical altercations occurred. Nonetheless, the UFC heavyweight champion and the former title holder sized each other up, asserting their belief in their own abilities.

However, this faceoff might be nothing more than a fleeting moment. With Ngannou’s departure from the UFC and his signing with PFL, the chances of a match between the two appear slim.

In a recent interview with Pat McAfee – the reputed MMA analyst, White shared a slight hint on why the fight did not come through, and fans may be in for a surprise. Throwing Francis Ngannou under the bus, the UFC promoter had few-but-impactful words on the incident. 

Dana White speaks out: ‘The Predator’ allegedly avoided Jon Jones prior to his UFC exit

In a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, UFC President Dana White sat down with the analyst. Shedding light on the failed matchup between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, White placed the blame on Ngannou for the fight’s failure.

During the interview, Pat McAfee mentioned the meeting between Jones and Ngannou at the PFL event, quoting Daniel Cormier‘s observation – that while Ngannou wasn’t scared, Jones portrayed no fear whatsoever.

McAfee further mentioned a tweet by a PFL representative, saying, “…then I saw the PFL guy [referring to Peter Murray] tweets out a promoted tweet – so he put money behind it and was like – ‘Hey, why don’t we do this UFC?’ I thought that’s an interesting move business-wise, to do that, but how would that work? They would represent like as an agent of Francis Ngannou…”

However, Dana White quickly dismissed the idea, stating that it wouldn’t work. He stated, “[when] Francis was here, Jon Jones wanted that fight the whole time. We tried to make the fight with Francis…” hinting that Ngannou’s indecisiveness might be a reason for the failure of the fight’s coming together.

The UFC promoter seemed to emphasize that Jon Jones had always wanted the fight – that the UFC had made efforts to arrange the bout with Ngannou, but the fight fell apart due to Ngannou’s departure.

Read More: Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou Accused of Pulling an Act Days After Heavyweight Stars Squared Off Reigniting the Long Unsettled Beef

With White’s revelation, it seems that the responsibility for the fight’s breakdown lies with Ngannou, leaving fans disappointed and casting a shadow over the potential clash between Jones and ‘The Predator.’

As UFC enthusiasts reflect on what could have been an epic Heavyweight showdown, the accusations of ducking Jon Jones now hover over Francis Ngannou, leaving lingering questions about the future of both fighters in their respective promotions.

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