MMA: Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou exchange words at PFL event

During a Professional Fighters League (PFL) event in Atlanta, Georgia, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former champion Francis Ngannou had a face-to-face encounter where they exchanged words.

The interaction between the two fighters seemed respectful as Jones, 35, told Ngannou that he “doesn’t want no smoke.”

Jones, an American and former light-heavyweight champion, attended the event alongside his teammate Maurice Green. Ngannou, hailing from Cameroon, was stripped of his UFC title in January after failing to reach a new contract agreement. Meanwhile, Jones secured the heavyweight belt by defeating Ciryl Gane in March. Ngannou recently joined the PFL and is expected to make his debut in 2024.

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During their meeting, captured on video, Jones playfully squeezed Ngannou’s arms, appearing to size up his fellow heavyweight. They shared a laugh and shook hands. Ngannou expressed his desire to fight Jones someday, to which Jones responded with a “we’ll see” and questioned whether Ngannou could handle his wrestling and jiu-jitsu skills.

However, it is highly unlikely that the two fighters will face each other while they are still under contract with separate promotions.

Ngannou achieved an impressive record of 12 wins out of 14 fights in the UFC, claiming the championship in 2021. Jones, widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, has only suffered a single loss in his 15-year career spanning 29 fights.

The UFC has been working on arranging a bout between Jones and former champion Stipe Miocic later this year.