The Predator is back to training after the knee surgery, and UFC fans couldn’t have been more excited. The return of Francis Ngannou is certainly going to be huge, and when you add Jon Jones into the mix, it pushes the anticipation and excitement to a whole different level.
Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones is the fight we have all been waiting for, and for quite some time now! The UFC Heavyweight Champion hasn’t competed inside the Octagon ever since his unanimous decision victory over Ciryl Gane back at UFC 270 in January 2022. The bout also marked Ngannou’s first title defense as the heavyweight champion. However, an unfortunate knee injury put Ngannou out of action for the better part of 2022.
Different animal, Same beast ☝🏿 #thepredator pic.twitter.com/SpvLdawv7s
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) December 11, 2022
It was back in November that Ngannou made rounds on the internet after posting clips of his first training session since his knee injury where he can be seen throwing brutal leg kicks. Less than a month later from then, the UFC Heavyweight Champion is wrestling on the mat.
They can control everything, but don’t let them control your mind. #Road2Recovery 👉🏿 https://t.co/paOZFcSRsS pic.twitter.com/0PxpuzQBKs
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) November 28, 2022
For a really long time, wrestling has been seen as the kryptonite to Ngannou’s power. And while Ngannou’s performance against Ciryl Gane lives to tell a tale, it’s hard to believe Jon Jones will rely only on striking if he matches up against the UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Just get up @Actionman513 🤣 pic.twitter.com/7Ri65cJb8x
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) December 21, 2022
Jones’ despite being a crafty striker with incredible power in his hands, is a wrestler first and it won’t be wrong to say that he will try to emulate Stipe Miocic’s success against Francis Ngannou during their first encounter. And if that’s the case, Francis Ngannou’s wrestling footage should certainly make Jon Jones think twice.
When will Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones happen?
Jon Jones has made it clear several times that he wants to fight Francis Ngannou in his heavyweight debut. And while there were reports that he could face Stipe Miocic instead, recent reports suggest UFC is working on Ngannou vs Jones.
UFC President Dana White has stated that he wants Ngannou to stay in the UFC, confirming that the contract negotiations are going in the right direction. So is it safe to say that the promotion will announce Ngannou vs Jones anytime now?