UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou welcomes what he believes would be a ‘great challenge’ in fighting Jon Jones.

For well over a year now fans have been discussing the possibility of Francis Ngannou fighting Jon Jones with the UFC heavyweight title on the line. ‘The Predator’ has been the champ since knocking off Stipe Miocic at UFC 260, whereas ‘Bones’ has been preparing his body for a move up in weight ever since his last appearance at UFC 247.

Of course, we all know there have been plenty of hurdles preventing this from happening, from contract disputes to injuries and beyond.

Still, whether you’re a fan or a pundit, it’s hard not to look at this match-up and think it has the potential to be one of the biggest fights in MMA history.

During a recent podcast appearance, Ngannou gave his thoughts on Jones as an opponent - and unsurprisingly, he was pretty respectful.

“I think fighting with him, I always think that’s gonna be a great fight for me. A great test, a great challenge, because he’s by far the most complete and skilled fighter.

“You just have to see how he dominated at light heavyweight.”

“Being the strongest is not enough. You have to bring something way more than that to win a fight. You’re fighting with a professional who has a lot of experience, he has seen it all, so, come on.”

“I’m confident [of winning], but it’s a challenge. A very tough challenge. I know his skillset, and I know how dangerous he is.”

Will Ngannou vs Jones actually happen?

While there’s every chance Ngannou will fight for the UFC again, his recent knee surgery means we’ll likely have to wait unitl late 2022 or early 2023 before seeing him compete.

There’s also the lingering possibility of him jumping ship to the squared circle for a titanic battle with heavyweight boxing king Tyson Fury. 

It may seem unlikely but given how badly both men want it, we think it’d be silly to rule it out altogether.

Jones, meanwhile, could come back later this year for an interim title bout.