Getty Chael Sonnen
Fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen believes the potential UFC heavyweight title clash between champion Francis Ngannou and former light heavyweight king Jon Jones is the “biggest fight you can put on in our industry.”
With Ngannou potentially nearing his Octagon return after undergoing knee surgery last year, and “Bones” chomping at the bit to make his heavyweight debut by fighting for a championship, the stars seem aligned for a scrap between the two.
“Jon Jones vs. Francis, I think, is the biggest fight you can put on in our industry,” Sonnen said in a recent video on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA Fighting).
“It’s also going to be the first fight where [two fighters] have four years of inactivity between the two of them. It’s a very peculiar situation.”
Ngannou’s Contract With UFC Is Up in the Air, Jones Could Fight Other Heavyweights Instead
Now, “The American Gangster” also pointed to the state of Ngannou’s contract. After notching his first title defense at UFC 260 against Ciryl Gane in January 2022, “The Predator” said he was poised to become a free agent and that he was eyeing a boxing match with Tyson Fury. But, considering it’s been a year and Ngannou hasn’t been stripped of his belt, Sonnen alluded to there being a chance he and the promotion have come to terms with a new contract.
And if they haven’t, Jones could be matched with several other heavyweights, including Gane and Curtis Blaydes.
“Francis appears to be safe in that he hasn’t been stripped, [and if he has, it] hasn’t come out yet,” Sonnen said. “We’ve heard the rumor that Jones and Stipe were going to fight for an interim championship. We’ve heard a rumor that Jones and Curtis were going to fight, but that rumor went right away, but it happened, and attached to that fight was going to be an interim championship. If that were true, that would protect Francis — he’s only got so much time to get his contract worked out and his knee healed up.
“I’m just sharing with you that if he comes back and is still undisputed champion, he’s in a pretty good spot, and in fact it would be a title fight because he’s the one bringing the title. But if he gets stripped, all bets are off.”
Jones Was ‘Preparing to Fight’ Miocic for UFC 282, Fight Never Came to Fruition
Bones took to Twitter in October to announce that he was all-in on a fight with Miocic, the division’s former champion, for UFC 282 in December. “I’m preparing to fight Stipe December 10 in Las Vegas,” Jones tweeted. “Not really sure what’s going on between Stipe and the UFC but I’m ready to compete! I’m going to control what I can and stay in shape.”
“I’m bringing all the heat @Stipemiocic, I got that fire you could never put out,” he wrote a few days later. “Sign the contract.”
The fight never came to fruition, however, as UFC president Dana White told the media in November that the promotion had never pursued a fight between Jones and Miocic for UFC 282.