Recently, fight fans witnessed the first-ever super fight event featuring the PFL champion vs. Bellator Champion, headlined by Renen Ferreira and Ryan Bader. This mega event attracted superstars from the combat world, from Mike Tyson to Francis Ngannou. Among these stars was Jon Jones, who also grabbed headlines. As Ngannou was also in attendance, Jones was asked about his prediction on the upcoming fight between Ngannou and Anthony Joshua. Surprisingly, Jones stated that he would put his money on Joshua despite rooting for his fellow MMA star.
Talking to Chael Sonnen, Jones stated he is rooting for Ngannou to win, only because of his story and how far the former UFC fighter has come in life as a fellow mixed martial artist. But he also acknowledged that AJ has been in this game since childhood.
Giving respect where it’s due, ‘Bones’ stated he will put his money on Joshua for the fight instead of Ngannou, despite the MMA connection. In his words,
“I’m rooting for Francis, but Anthony Joshua has been doing this since he was a young boy, and I’m the type of guy who just gives respect where it’s due. So if I personally had to put my money on it – not that I gamble, I would put it on Anthony Joshua. Sorry, Francis.”
In just a few days, combat sports fans will witness one of the biggest matchups of the year. If he manages to win, Ngannou will solidify his status as the biggest superstar in combat sports. The expectations are high for the former UFC champ after his performance against Tyson Fury.
However, Jones acknowledges that it won’t be easy, as defeating Joshua in his own discipline is a rare feat accomplished by only two boxers thus far.
Consequently, despite rooting for Ngannou, as he doesn’t want to take a gamble, he’ll go with the safer option, which is Joshua. While AJ will be his next challenge, Ngannou now finally have an opponent name and potential schedule for his PFL debut.
When and Against Whom Will Francis Ngannou Make his PFL Debut?
For now, Ngannou is preparing for the Joshua bout, but after the boxing match, he’ll soon be making his PFL debut. Going by earlier reports, it seems he now has the opponent’s name. Earlier, it was reported that Ngannou would face the winner of Renan Ferreira vs. Ryan Bader.
And now, as Ferreira secured a solid victory in just 21 seconds by knocking out the Bellator champ, it seems he will be the next opponent for the ‘Predator’.
Talking about the potential schedule, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani suggests Ngannou’s PFL debut could be in 2024, depending on the March 8 Anthony Joshua fight. So, it’ll be interesting to see how he’ll perform after over 2 years.
