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UFC CEO Dana White has no intentions of exploring business collaborations with PFL MMA. The spotlight has shifted to Francis Ngannou, whose reputation has skyrocketed in the boxing world following his remarkable performance against Tyson Fury. Ngannou's ability to go the distance with Fury, almost claiming victory in the process, has generated immense interest in his crossover potential.
While Ngannou basks in success outside the UFC, a notable drawback emerges – his most compelling MMA matchup seems to be against Jon Jones. PFL founder Donn Davis has openly acknowledged that Ngannou's most significant MMA bout would be against Jones. However, with Jones holding the UFC heavyweight championship and Ngannou no longer bound by a UFC contract, the only pathway to a showdown between the two behemoths would require a mutual agreement for cross-promotion.
Unfortunately, under Dana White's leadership, this prospect seems increasingly unlikely. The UFC 295 post-fight press conference provided a platform for White to address media inquiries about the potential collaboration with PFL to make Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou a reality. White's response left no room for ambiguity.
“No, I’m not interested in that,” declared White. “We tried to make that fight happen, they didn’t wanna do it, and it’s done. He doesn’t fight here anymore. I’m not interested.”
White further emphasized his position, highlighting the UFC's recent achievement of setting live gate records for the top three spots at Madison Square Garden.
“Should I? We got one, two, and three. They can’t sell a f*cking gate,” White asserted.
Amidst the uncertainty, Ngannou's anticipated PFL debut in 2024 now hangs in the balance. The question looms: will these plans be put on hold as "The Predator" becomes a hot ticket for boxing promoters? Only time will unravel the next chapter in Ngannou's career.
Meanwhile, Jon Jones is on the path to recovery from a torn pectoral tendon, an unfortunate setback that sidelined him from a planned heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. The unfolding narrative leaves fans eagerly anticipating the future trajectories of both Ngannou and Jones.