Francis Ngannou Reveals UFC Only Offered Jon Jones Fight as Bait to Re-Sign Him

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has stated that the promotion only ever presented a potential fight with Jon Jones as a tactic to re-sign him to a new contract, describing the matchup as “bait” rather than a genuine offer.

Speaking in an interview with ESPN MMA, Ngannou explained that while he has long desired to face Jones before retiring from combat sports, the UFC never seriously pursued the bout during his tenure as champion. “Jon Jones is the fight I really want to have before my retirement. But other than that, it could be anybody. I don’t care. As long as it’s a fight,” Ngannou said.

Despite mutual public interest from both fighters over the years, Ngannou revealed that the only time the Jones fight was ever mentioned to him by UFC officials was when it was being used as leverage in contract negotiations. “It was never really on the table, so I don’t have to be disappointed. The only time that he seems like a possibility was when he was used as bait, something to bait me,” he stated.

Ngannou held the UFC Heavyweight Championship from March 2021 to January 2023, successfully defending the title at UFC 270 in January 2022. During this period, fans and analysts frequently speculated about a potential superfight with Jones, who was then the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and openly teased a move up to the heavyweight division.

After failing to reach agreement on a new contract following his title defense at UFC 270, Ngannou was granted free agency by the UFC in early 2023. He subsequently signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where he competed once before parting ways with the organization in March 2024.

Meanwhile, Jon Jones made his long-anticipated move to the heavyweight division in 2023, defeating Ciryl Gane to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 285. Jones has since defended the title and remains the current UFC Heavyweight Champion as of April 2026.

Despite his departure from the UFC, Ngannou has maintained his interest in eventually facing Jones. He is scheduled to return to mixed martial arts competition on May 16, 2026, at an MVP MMA event headlined by Jake Paul, where he will fight Philipe Lins at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Ngannou has also pursued boxing opportunities since leaving the UFC, including high-profile matches against Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. He reiterated that while he would welcome a fight with Jones at any point, his primary focus remains on competing in meaningful bouts regardless of opponent. “If I had to pick, ‘Okay let’s do this one and go home,’ then it would be Jon Jones,” he said.

The fighter emphasized that he holds no resentment over the unrealized matchup, noting that since the fight was never legitimately offered, there is no basis for disappointment. “Disappoint me? No,” Ngannou told ESPN. “It was never really on the table, so I don’t have to be disappointed.”