Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. As he does from time to time, Jon Jones took to Twitter this past week to share a number of thoughts regarding mixed martial arts.
Among those musings was more speculation about a future move to heavyweight, a transition Jones has teased often in the past. In this instance, “Bones” seemed to be intrigued by former foe Ovince St. Preux’s performance competing up a division at UFC Fight Night 171 on Wednesday evening, and said seeing OSP’s fight with Ben Rothwell made a heavyweight move “seem more real to me.”
That, in turn, piqued the interest of top heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou, who replied to Jones’ post. Things escalated quickly from there, as the light heavyweight champion insisted that he wouldn’t hesitate to accept a bout with perhaps the most feared knockout artist in the sport today.
“Who would you guys consider the quicker and more technical striker, Thiago Santos or Francis? If you guys think I wouldn’t take this fight you’re insane,” Jones wrote. “I have absolutely nothing else to prove as a light heavyweight. I’d love that big money fight right around now. Send the deal.”
Ngannou, seemed to be amenable to the booking as well. “If you think you can handle my technique level that’s fine but I agree that you don’t have anything to prove in [light heavyweight] division and that this should be for bags,” he replied.
If you think you can handle my technique level that’s fine but I agree with you that you don’t have anything to prove in LHW division and that this should be for bags https://t.co/PtD04F3aSl
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) May 14, 2020
Thus far in his career, Jones has remained content to clean out the 205-pound division. While the back-and-forth with Ngannou generated plenty of buzz in the MMA community, it currently amounts to little more than social media banter. UFC president Dana White did his part to temper enthusiasm for the hypothetical matchup on Saturday night.
“Anything’s possible,” White said at the UFC on ESPN 8 post-fight press conference. “I don’t know if those guys really want that fight. Let me tell you this and I’m not saying this is the case with these two, you see a lot of talk online but actually making fights is whole other ball game.”