Jon Jones, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion and widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters ever, generated significant discussion on June 6th following a series of social media posts. Through these updates, Jones appeared to signal he would not be returning to the Octagon anytime soon, specifically dismissing the idea of facing interim champion Tom Aspinall.
Aspinall himself seemed to support this interpretation, stating his belief that Jones, known as `Bones`, was already retired. Aspinall also suggested that the UFC was planning to make an announcement regarding the future direction of the heavyweight division soon.
However, just as clarity seemed to emerge regarding the heavyweight title picture, another prominent figure re-entered the conversation. This happened after comments from Francis Ngannou`s coach, Eric Nicksick.
Nicksick`s assertion that the former UFC champion Ngannou might be open to a return to the promotion immediately captured Jones` attention. Jones subsequently characterized a potential clash between himself and Ngannou as a “real super-fight.”
Jones Responds to Critics Who Believe Ngannou is the Easier Fight Compared to Aspinall
After Jon Jones expressed his interest in a fight with Francis Ngannou, citing its potential impact on his legacy, fans were quick to voice their opinions. Many responses directed at the UFC heavyweight champion highlighted that when both fighters were previously under UFC contract, Jones did not appear particularly keen on making the fight happen.
Some fans went further, speculating that Jones is now more interested in the Ngannou fight because they perceive Francis as a less challenging opponent, especially considering past instances where Ngannou has struggled against high-level grappling.
The champion directly addressed this criticism, countering that the perceived disadvantages people associate with Ngannou, particularly concerning ground fighting, are also applicable to Tom Aspinall. Jones seemingly downplayed Aspinall`s grappling credentials, suggesting he doesn`t rate the interim champion`s ground skills as highly as public perception might indicate.
“You clowns thinking, Francis would be that much easier because of the ground game. Tom has no ground game either. In English black belt is like getting a participation ribbon.”
Limited Recent Evidence of Ngannou`s and Aspinall`s Grappling
Francis Ngannou hasn`t competed frequently in recent years, but his last few bouts have shown notable development in his grappling defense and offense. In his first UFC defeat against Stipe Miocic in 2018, Ngannou was taken down six times and controlled on the mat. However, since that fight, he has only been taken down once in the Octagon.
Ngannou has also demonstrated offensive grappling success, landing takedowns on Ciryl Gane and Miocic within the UFC. Furthermore, he effectively used his wrestling to dominate Renan Ferreira in his recent PFL debut.
| UFC Opponents Who Took Francis Ngannou Down | Event | Takedowns Landed |
|---|---|---|
| Ciryl Gane | UFC 270 – 2022 | 1 |
| Stipe Miocic | UFC 220 – 2018 | 6 |
| Anthony Hamilton | UFC Fight Night 102 – 2016 | 1 |
| Curtis Blaydes | UFC Fight Night 86 – 2016 | 2 |
| Luis Henrique | UFC on Fox 17 – 2015 | 1 |
Regarding Tom Aspinall, we haven`t seen his grappling skills extensively in recent fights. However, his foundational background is rooted in Jiu-Jitsu, influenced by his father, who is a coach in the discipline. The interim champion`s record includes four submission victories, notably finishing opponents like Alexander Volkov and Andrei Arlovski on the ground.
