Jose Aldo predicts Jon Jones will beat Francis Ngannou as he is 'way ahead technique-wise.'

The former UFC light heavyweight champion has made it clear that he is not afraid of Ngannou and will welcome an undisputed title-fight against him this summer. 

Unfortunately, the tensions flaring up between Jones and UFC chief Dana White over disputed fighter pay have threatened to derail their chances of reaching an agreement.

Any failure to strike a deal, or even come to terms, would add to the difficulties facing both fighters as they try to secure a massive payday.

Of course, nothing is ever truly guaranteed, but if both parties can agree on terms, it will become one of the biggest fights in the history of the UFC heavyweight division.  

And former undisputed featherweight king Aldo reckons Ngannou will face an almighty task keeping the fight standing against the best pound-for-pound fighter of all time.

"I’ve always seen Jon Jones as a big favourite at heavyweight," Aldo said to MMA Fighting. "He’s fast, has great wrestling and great reach. He doesn’t have the same punching power of a heavyweight, but he has it all. He has great wrestling and takes any fighter down. If he takes you down, I think it’s hard for any heavyweight to handle him on top."

"Junior" believes Ngannou's one-punch power could cause Jones a few problems, but ultimately feels he is not on the same level as the 33-year-old American mixed martial artist. 

"It might complicate his head,” he said. “Everyone gets in there [thinking], ‘He can’t land a punch otherwise you go down.’ Other than that, Jon Jones fights well at long distance. I see him landing those oblique kicks. I see Jon Jones way ahead technique-wise. I respect the champion, a man that has evolved a lot since he lost to Miocic, but, in a fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones, [I pick] Jon Jones. Against Ngannou or any other heavyweight, I believe Jon Jones’ potential."

Aldo's prediction for the potential super-fight comes just a few days after former title challenger Anthony Johnson tipped Jones to get the better of Ngannou. 

During a recent interview with Helen Yee, the 37-year-old American fighter said: "I think Jon (Jones) just has too many weapons.

“His team is great. His IQ is up there. You know he may not… And everybody was so hung-up on just knockouts. You know knockouts by Francis [Ngannou], which I get. I get that. But, there is still more to it than just a knockout. You can be a knockout artist and just get beat up. Like ‘DC’ [Daniel Cormier] isn’t a knockout artist, and he beat me up."

He continued: "You know, you don’t have to knock everybody out to be great. And you know, Jon I think has all of the tools to beat Francis. I won’t say that he will finish him. But I think he can beat Francis. But, if Francis gets that one (punch), it can be a long night. Well, a short night for Jon if he gets hit. But people say that Jon hasn’t been tested, or that his jaw hasn’t been tested. Jon Jones has fought the who’s who of mixed martial arts. People aren’t realizing that. He’s just made it look easy because of his skill. So, I wish people would stop discrediting the man."