The MMA community was thrilled at the prospect of a showdown between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in 2023. However, this much-anticipated fight did not materialize as Ngannou parted ways with the UFC while still holding the Heavyweight title. Instead, Jones clinched the title by defeating Ciryl Gane with a guillotine choke within the first round in March 2023.
Despite Ngannou’s move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL), there have been indications from the organization hinting at the potential for the dream match. Nevertheless, former UFC Heavyweight champion and current PFL commentator Randy Couture is doubtful that it will come to fruition, attributing the reluctance to the UFC’s ego and reluctance to allow cross-promotional fights.
Couture expressed his dismay that fans might miss out on witnessing showdowns between champions representing different promotions, drawing from his personal experience of missing the chance to fight Fedor Emelianenko. While there have been missed opportunities in the Heavyweight division, there is a glimmer of hope for a faceoff between Jones and Tom Aspinall, with UFC CEO Dana White remaining bullish on the prospect.
