Francis Ngannou wants to fight Jon Jones, despite Dana White’s doubts

After knocking out Stipe Miocic in the second round to win the UFC heavyweight championship at UFC 260, Francis Ngannou spoke to the media at the post-fight press conference about what could be next for his career.

Earlier in the evening at the press conference, UFC president Dana White said he was 100-percent willing to make a title fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones. But White also expressed doubt that Jones actually wanted the fight.

If it were up to Ngannou, however, his next opponent would be the pound-for-pound king in Jones rather than a rematch against top heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis for the title.

“Obviously Jon Jones makes more sense for me. But either way, I’m gonna fight,” Ngannou said. “If Jon Jones doesn’t come to heavyweight, the division has to move. As the new heavyweight champion, I’ve decided to put more activity in the division than [the division] has been in the past two or three years.”

Ngannou maintained that while he’ll let the contenders call him out and not the other way around, along with letting the UFC make the decisions as to what is next for him, the newly crowned heavyweight champion would prefer to face Jon Jones next.

“I might be the champ, but I don’t make the call,” Ngannou said. “The UFC decides what really happens. But for what I want or what I would like? Yes, I would like [Jones].”