Jones ducked Ngannou for years!

[GordonMMARamsey]

You are incorrect!!!!! (note that's 5 exclamation marks to show the degree of incorrectness). Francis contract according to Francis expired in early to mid December 22, so he was already a free agent in January 23. He mentioned this many times in interviews that he was already a free agent when the UFC released in the media he is not re-signing and being stripped of the belt. He even got upset that Dana and Co said they released him, he made it clear that his contract already expired.

Ngannou: UFC's offer gave 'no rights, no power'

Francis Ngannou discussed his exit from the UFC on Tuesday, saying that the terms the promotion was offering didn't afford him enough freedom.

www.espn.com

"UFC president Dana White said last Saturday that the promotion had released Ngannou, including waiving an exclusive negotiating window and one-year matching rights clause, and stripped him of the heavyweight title. Ngannou disputes that characterization, saying that his contract with the UFC expired in early-to-mid December and he was already a free agent."

So my points stands why Jon had to wait for Francis to re-sign with the promotion before he can sign any bout agreement. Which makes sense, you can't sign a fight until the opponent is signed to the promotion. Jon and the UFC had to wait to see if they can come to terms with Francis first.

And they can guarantee a fight if they other opponent has already agreed to take that fight, which is what happend. Jon even said and I posted link that Francis had the opportunity to fight him and didnt.

This is how it played out...

Dec 22 - Francis is still in talks with the UFC and having meetings to make a new deal happen. They fail to come to terms so Francis leaves the country and by this time his contract is already expired and he is a free agent, according to Francis.

Jan 23 - Francis said that the last effort was made in early January when Francis had a call with Hunter Campbell and Mick Maynard, he says this on the Ariel podcast, this is when they offered him the Jones fight 100% and guaranteed it in is new contract, I posted the link to this with Francis saying this. Francis declined this offer.

Jan 14th 2023 - UFC officially announces they are releasing Francis and they couldn't come to new terms with him.

Jan 15th 2023 - UFC announces that Jon Jones has signed a new 8 fight deal and also announces the fight with Gane for UFC 285.

So what this means is that Jon Jones and the UFC waited to see if they re-sign Francis to a new deal as late as early January. When they couldn't get a deal done, they moved on to plan B and announced the Gane fight right after. That's why it was released that Francis is gone, and next day Jon is got a new deal and fighting at UFC 285.

Think about it....Jon inked a new deal and was in for Francis fight so that is why they got on a call despreately in early Jan to offer a contract to Francis that had the fight guarenteed. Previously they never guarenteed the Francis the fight, now they did, right when Jon signs a new deal and is slated for UFC 285. Co-incidence?? I dont think so. Jon had a new deal, the Francis fight was there and he was taking it under the impression Francis signs his new contract.

What's wild is there are still people who claim Jon signed the 15th, because he found out Francis was gone. Like an 8 fight deal is just thrown together over night the moment Francis is officially gone.

 

[JKS]

What's wild is there are still people who claim Jon signed the 15th, because he found out Francis was gone. Like an 8 fight deal is just thrown together over night the moment Francis is officially gone.

Oh yah no doubt. It seems the Jones haters are resorting to mostly conspiracy theories about this.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I think something broke in Jones at the end of his LHW run.

3 fights in a row went to decision, with him arguably losing the last two. And these were not the elite killers that Jon used to beat either.

I think he realized that without the PED's he's very beatable, so he started being very strategic about picking opponents. He didn't want to take any more risks. Hence why he waited for Ngannou to leave and now won't fight anyone but Stipe.

 

[JKS]

I think something broke in Jones at the end of his LHW run.

3 fights in a row went to decision, with him arguably losing the last two. And these were not the elite killers that Jon used to beat either.

I think he realized that without the PED's he's very beatable, so he started being very strategic about picking opponents. He didn't want to take any more risks. Hence why he waited for Ngannou to leave and now won't fight anyone but Stipe.

The only flaw in your point is that Jones never waited for Francis to leave, I still don't get how people can't understand this?? He was re-signed to the UFC and had agreed to fight Francis, they were all waiting for Francis to sign the new UFC contract and accept the fight.

 

[nonoob]

3/4 of a year

JBP, watch Francis' entire fearless fight-any-HW-fight-'em-all back to back run.

Coward Jon NEVER Attempted to Do what Francis did.

Losers and parrots slam the warrior HW Champion Francis - ONLY because Dana pays them.
​

 

[Pingu]

i don't think jones is afraid of ngannou. why would he? easy work.

 

[Fedorgasm]

The only flaw in your point is that Jones never waited for Francis to leave, I still don't get how people can't understand this?? He was re-signed to the UFC and had agreed to fight Francis, they were all waiting for Francis to sign the new UFC contract and accept the fight.

How do we know he agreed to fight Francis? You can't believe anything he says.

I recall the first time this fight was being talked about, Jon asked for 30 million guaranteed, so he was basically pricing himself out of the fight on purpose. It's just a way for him to mask his ducking strategy.

 

[DapperDave]

I missed the Ngannou fight, but I saw Jones-Gane.

Jones only ducked Gane once.

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

Ngannou is being knocked on the world stage while Jon is getting coked out on the same..

 

[JKS]

How do we know he agreed to fight Francis? You can't believe anything he says.

I recall the first time this fight was being talked about, Jon asked for 30 million guaranteed, so he was basically pricing himself out of the fight on purpose. It's just a way for him to mask his ducking strategy.

How do we know?? First, Jon didn't say anything and it was Francis that said it. So you're getting the information from Francis. He said it many times that in early January of 2023, right after Jones re-signed with the UFC, the match makers called Francis and offered him the Jones fight in his contract, guaranteed. So the fight was there for Francis.

Jon asking for that much money is nothing more than negotiating and posturing in the media to draw attention to the fight. He wasn't gonna get 30, but it would have been a mega fight so he would get paid very well.

 

[JonnyBonesPharmacist]

JBP, watch Francis' entire fearless fight-any-HW-fight-'em-all back to back run.

Coward Jon NEVER Attempted to Do what Francis did.

Losers and parrots slam the warrior HW Champion Francis - ONLY because Dana pays them.
​

 

[blaseblase]

Jones turned down 10 million to fight Ngannou. He then fought Gane for 3 million plus PPV points.

 

[snaportap21]

Does anyone actually think Ngannou ducked Jones?
Ngannou was the champion of the HW division for years while Jones sat out "bulking". He had every opportunity over that time frame to fight him, but declined to do so. He did not return until Ngannou left the promotion. These are facts.

Just wanna set the record straight that Jon Jones is a duck. He ducked Ngannou and now he is ducking Aspinall. That is all.

I don’t think Jon ducked Aspinall but I most certainly believe he ducked tf outta Francis. He only fought at HW once big Frank was gone. It’s a little different than the Tom situation because there are vids from before Tom became champ than Jon said Stipe and he’s done and only Francis could bring him back. The ufc said jones vs stipe is going to be rescheduled no matter who won Tom vs Sergei when Tom vs Sergei was announced so nothing has really changed since the ufc said that. Jon’s HW career is a joke. He’s still an all time great because of his work at LHW, though. I just hope when Tom inevitably becomes champ his interim defense will count towards the hw title defense record.

 

[Ormendahl]

Jones is one of those fights anyone would take just for the sake of their career, just like taking a McGregor fight. So the idea that anyone let alone Ngannou would be ducking Jones is laughable.

 

[The-AxeMurderer]

Years from now, Jones fans will be saying he didnt duck Aspinall too.

Its a win-win for Ngannou. He has zero to lose.

Jon had everything to lose, thats why he denied Francis.

 

[Mike]

I'm sure he got way less money for Gane than what he would've wanted for Ngannou. But Gane was way less risky.
Hes made statements before that they weren't reaching the numbers he wanted for the Ngannou fight.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/10000539-jon-jones-says-8-10m-is-way-too-low-for-francis-ngannou-ufc-fight.amp.html

When ngannou wants more money and to be able to box: YOU GO GIRL, YAASS SLAAAAYY
When Jones wants money: BOOOOO, HES DUCKING

Fact is both guys saw the other as a difficult opponent. Real recognize real. They BOTH wanted a GUARANTEED big payday and the UFC only likes to do winner take all style contracts and booking.

The UFC is the reason we don't get a lot of these super fights.

 

[ChessJitsu]

I think something broke in Jones at the end of his LHW run.

3 fights in a row went to decision, with him arguably losing the last two. And these were not the elite killers that Jon used to beat either.

I think he realized that without the PED's he's very beatable, so he started being very strategic about picking opponents. He didn't want to take any more risks. Hence why he waited for Ngannou to leave and now won't fight anyone but Stipe.

Dominick Reyes and Thiago in their peak forms beat most of Jones previous opponents handily (besides DC & maybe Gustafsson).

I'm not saying they're as legendary as Shogun/Rampage/Machida but they're bigger and part of a more advanced generation.

Jones has exceptional gifts that only make it into the sport spotlight like once a decade at most (NFL genetics and record-breaking reach) but every 5 years the gap between his mold and the newer breed should narrow.

 

[Vehap1]

Francis himself said he turned down the Jon Jones fight.

Keep trying bro

Surely the much bigger man is ducking the smaller man, what a fantasy world you live in.

We all saw how badly Reyes beat up Jon, do you think Francis missed that fight?

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Keep trying bro

Surely the much bigger man is ducking the smaller man, what a fantasy world you live in.

We all saw how badly Reyes beat up Jon, do you think Francis missed that fight?

What fantasy world? Francis and his team both said they turned down Jon.

 

[svmr_db]

Keep trying bro

Surely the much bigger man is ducking the smaller man, what a fantasy world you live in.

We all saw how badly Reyes beat up Jon, do you think Francis missed that fight?

Huh? It's a well known fact that UFC was trying to negotiate to make the Jones fight with Ngannou and he walked away, that's why Gane got the opportunity to face Jones @ UFC 285 insteadm

But yeah, he wasn't "scared" and it was contractual problems why he chose to go elsewhere. Neither guy was ever scared of the other, it was always contract stuff getting in the way.