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Heavyweight Drama: Jones vs. Ngannou 'Biggest Fight in UFC History'

While heavyweight MMA legend Francis Ngannou left the UFC on bad terms, there have been rumblings of his potential return to the organization. Recently, his coach Eric Nicksick even hinted that he might be interested in coming back to fight for Dana White, given the UFC heavyweight division’s stagnancy towards the top of the rankings. With Jon Jones hinting at retirement rather than face Tom Aspinall, the heavyweight division has been a mess, and the anticipation for a Ngannou return could revitalize a tired narrative of Jones ducking Aspinall.

The MMA world is again buzzing over a potential superfight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, with UFC veterans Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo declaring it the "biggest fight in UFC history" on a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast.

Feb 15, 2020; Rio Rancho, New Mexico, USA; UFC fighter Jon Jones attends the light heavyweight bout between Jan Blachowicz (blue) and Corey Anderson (red) during UFC Fight Night at Santa Ana Star Arena.

Usman, a former welterweight champion, didn’t hold back in his excitement, stating, "I'm telling you right now, the biggest fight in UFC history will be Jon Jones versus Francis Ngannou. I think this is the biggest fight that you can make right now."

However, UFC CEO Dana White has shut down the idea, insisting that interim champion Tom Aspinall is next in line for Jones.

"It’s Aspinall’s fight," White declared, dismissing Ngannou’s return as unlikely. "I don’t have Ngannou under contract, and Aspinall is the guy."

This stance is the polar opposite of PFL founder Donn Davis, who proposed a "winner takes all" co-promotion in a post on X (formerly Twitter), offering to let the victorious fighter’s promotion claim all event profits.

Meanwhile, Aspinall remains in limbo, waiting for Jones to commit to their unification bout. With Jones seemingly more interested in Ngannou, the UFC faces a dilemma of forcing Jones to face Aspinall or risk losing the biggest money fight in MMA to a rival promotion.

For Jones, it’s a chance to cement his legacy against a fellow all-time great. For Ngannou, it’s an opportunity to prove he never needed the UFC to dominate. And for fans, it’s the dream matchup that’s been five years in the making. As Usman put it, this isn’t just another fight—it’s history.