Has Francis Ngannou’s departure tainted the Jones-Miocic championship fight?
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We are a little over a month out from the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, taking on perhaps the greatest fighter in UFC history. Yet the buzz and anticipation for this fight has not fit the bill thus far. Surely, something is wrong… Right?
The major appeal of the UFC for years now has been their ability to match up the best against the best. While the future UFC Hall of Famer Miocic certainly has a career most would envy, the fans simply do not forget. They certainly did not forget what happened on March 27, 2021; Miocic’s last fight, in which Ngannou seemingly corrected all mistakes from the first fight and dominated his way to a vicious second-round KO win.
That victory for Ngannou erased all doubts regarding the best heavyweight on the planet and looked to be the start of what we thought was a long championship run. That is until Jon Jones was tired of playing with his food at 205 pounds, and decided to move up with the big boys. This would set up a monster showdown between the juggernaut that is Ngannou and the “GOAT” that is Jones.
Francis Ngnannou’s UFC Departure
We waited, and waited, and waited… But unfortunately, due to contract negotiations and holdouts, that fight never came to fruition. By the time Jones was ready to fight, Ngannou was no longer in the UFC.
You can’t blame the UFC for giving Jones the next best man up. But the idea that we will likely never see Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou puts a damper on things, particularly this upcoming fight on November 11th. Will we watch? Of course, but there will always be that “what could have been” thought lurking deep in our minds regarding a potential Jones and Ngannou matchup.
Outside Competition?
It is strange to know that the biggest fight to be made for Jones Jones is with a man fighting outside of the UFC. When was the last time we could say that about a UFC champion?
Perhaps, many would have liked to see the Fedor Emelianenko matchup with a UFC heavyweight champion back in his prime? Other than that, this is a rare case. For the sake of the UFC, they better hope it remains a non reoccurring thing.
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
On the bright side, Stipe Miocic is still a great opponent for Jones to face, and on paper, this should be a fight that sells itself. Miocic is no slouch in the wrestling department, and has much success with his boxing. This fight is in no way a walk in the park for the heavyweight kingpin.
Come November 11th, two of the greatest fighters of all-time will fight inside the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. It’s fight that will still be enjoyed by fans of the sport regardless.
Are you excited for Jones vs. Miocic? Let us know in the comments below.
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