A bold headline sets the stage: Francis Ngannou is aiming for a high-stakes showdown with Jon Jones, and he believes the UFC’s White House card could be the perfect stage for it. Ngannou shared on Wednesday that his contract with the PFL will wrap up in time for next year’s event, but achieving this fight would require repairing the relationship with Dana White and the UFC.
Ngannou left UFC in January 2023, relinquishing the heavyweight title before heading to the PFL. Since then, he has fought MMA only once, scoring a knockout of Renan Ferreira, the PFL heavyweight tournament winner. Now, with his PFL deal nearing its end, he’s open to hearing a fight offer from the PFL, while also keeping the door open for a UFC return.
“I’m getting very close to finishing the PFL contract,” Ngannou said on The Ariel Helwani Show on Wednesday. “They have to give me a fight.”
He noted that his PFL contract would likely expire before the UFC’s White House card, which many expect will take place in June. When asked about pursuing a bout with Jones, Ngannou replied, “Yes, if that could happen.” He added, “I’m not fully confident, but there’s a chance. Anything can happen.”
The main obstacle to a Ngannou–Jones clash is the strained rapport between Ngannou and UFC CEO Dana White. The two have traded barbs in the media since Ngannou’s 2023 contract negotiations soured. White has also repeatedly questioned Jones’s reliability in connection with the White House fight idea.
Since leaving the UFC, Ngannou has shifted toward boxing more than MMA. In his boxing debut, he pushed Tyson Fury to a surprising split decision, but his subsequent match ended in a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. Beyond a potential Jones matchup, Ngannou has shown interest in facing Deontay Wilder, with Wilder recently suggesting negotiations for a crossover fight between them are gaining momentum.
