Former UFC two-weight champion Daniel Cormier commented on the stare-down between UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former heavyweight division champion Francis Ngannou on June 17 at the PFL 5 tournament.
It’s a big deal but it kind of sucks. It just reminds us that it won’t happen. Because now that Francis [Ngannou] is gone there’s no way it could ever work. When Francis starts talking about being the king of the world, Jon said, ‘I’ve always been the king. I’ve always been the best.’ When you look at his facial expression, I’ve seen that before. When him and I would come into our interactions, both of us had this idea that ‘I am the best.’ It showed me that Jon Jones ain’t afraid of Francis Ngannou.
Daniel Cormier
Ngannou, 36, last fought in the UFC in January 2022 at UFC 270. At that time, his opponent was Frenchman Ciryl Gane. In that fight, Francis won by unanimous decision. He has 17 wins and three losses in mixed martial arts under his belt.
Jones, 35, last competed at UFC 285 in March, 2023, when he beat Gane by TKO in the first round. He has 27 wins and one loss on his record.