Paid Members Egg Shen Posted January 14, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 14, 2023 well... Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 15, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 15, 2023 It’s legit as well. I initially thought it must just be a good photoshop, that’s how unrealistic a Jon Jones fight announcement feels these days I guess. It’s real though. Now let’s see if he actually makes it to the cage. Although the fact it says it’s for the belt…does that mean Ngannou is Ngone now? I saw something the other day that his contract is up later this month and he’s seemed to want out for a while now. Oh there’s this as well, suddenly March is looking fantastic! Can’t help think Dana has gone all out to get these fights booked now so people will get distracted and stop talking about him. The timing of the Jones thing especially, it’s dragged on for 3 years now and then conveniently gets sorted just as Dana’s gonna start doing media again? He must’ve thrown a bit extra onto Jones’ paycheque to get it done. Gotta look after a fellow wifebeater, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted January 15, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 15, 2023 (edited) Might be something more to those photos of Ngannou's mum wearing PFL clothing? *edit* Â UFC President Dana White announced on Saturday that the promotion has released heavyweight champion Frances Ngannou after the two sides could not reach a contract agreement. In addition, Jon "Bones" Jones will now make his heavyweight debut on March 4 in Las Vegas for the vacant UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. White also announced that Jones has signed an eight-fight deal with UFC. White had more comments on Ngannou, including thoughts on negotiations regarding the heavyweight fight that never happened between the now ex-champ and Jones. Ngannou is still working his way back to the Octagon after suffering a torn ACL and MCL before his UFC 270 win against Gane in January 2022. However, there was public hope earlier this week that a fight between him and Jones could still go down in March. Eric Nicksick, Ngannou's head coach, ballparked the probability of a Jones-Ngannou fight happening then. "I think it's 50-50, to be honest with you, when you're talking business and timeline," Nicksick told Mike Heck of MMA Fighting. "I'm confident from what I saw from Francis a couple of weeks ago that if we had to be ready for March, I think we can get him ready, but I think it is cutting it a little bit short because he had to go back home and renew his visa." A Jones-Ngannou fight won't be happening now, but numerous MMA analysts sided with Ngannou upon his departure. The 36-year-old Ngannou is 17-3 (12-2 UFC) in his professional career, with 12 knockouts and four submissions. He's won six straight fights, including a second-round KO over Stipe Miocic, which earned him the heavyweight belt at UFC 260 in March 2021. Ngannou won by unanimous decision over Gane in Jan. 2022 at UFC 27 Crazy stuff. I knew it was talked about but I thought after the injury the UFC would have figured it out with Ngannou. All signs point to the PFL here though. Especially with Jake Paul's involvement. I wouldn't at all be surprised if Ngannou signs some kind of deal where he'll fight in PFL's PPV division and fights on Jake Paul boxing cards in conjunction, all whilst get paid a shit ton of cash. Â Edited January 15, 2023 by Egg Shen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 It's probably the best solution for both sides, if not the fans. The UFC train keeps moving along without skipping a beat, and Francis gets the big money he wants elsewhere. Francis needs to make this big cash ASAP though, I'd say. Fans have very short memories, and after a year or two of not being in the UFC, people will soon forget and not care about him. The other big issue for Dana will be when Jones pulls out, and the only option at short notice will be the Black Beast, thus shitting all over the PPV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Jesse Posted January 15, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 15, 2023 Most out-there thing in that statement is the idea that Jon Jones might fight eight more times. Before all the Ngannou stuff started happening Jones was the 'unreasonable money' guy according to Dana, he's had two doping suspensions and that hit and run. If he even makes it to the cage with Gane how long before he falls out with Dana or fucks himself up again? I think of everyone in the UFC right now, Jones is the most "I'll believe it when it actually happens" and even then I'll be half-waiting for the USADA announcement afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Bus Surfer Posted January 15, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 15, 2023 The 8 fight thing is purely to keep him tied to the UFC and not be able to go elsewhere. I can't see him having 8 fights at Heavyweight. If he loses to Gane I reckon there's a good chance he retires so I'm guessing they've thrown a huge number at him. Great fight though.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted January 15, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 15, 2023 It's a crying shame how it's all worked out with Big Francis. He's going to get paid outside of the UFC against lesser opposition, doing things less people will see or care about. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. I'd have loved to have watched him knock Jon Jones Into next year too. That's another one for the 'fights that got away pile'. If Jones wrestles Gane, we've seen how easily he can be handled there. If he doesn't go down that route though, Gane will take this one easily I think. Absolutely of the belief that Jones was slipping for a long time before this hiatus. Ngannou Vs Jones, I was 95% sure Ngannou would knock him out. Jones Vs Gane I'm a little closer to 50-50 on simply due to Gane 's lack of defensive wrestling. A greatly diminished Jon Jones may still have an easy time of it there if Gane hasn't improved leaps and bounds in his ability to block a takedown. Anyway, probably won't happen anyway, there's bound to be a signpost somewhere in Albuquerque that Jones hasn't ran over yet while on a bender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 On 1/15/2023 at 10:14 AM, Jesse said: Most out-there thing in that statement is the idea that Jon Jones might fight eight more times. As an example, eight fights ago Jones was facing Glover at UFC 172 almost nine years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted January 17, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2023 not this again... Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 17, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2023 Well if Fury pulls out at least there’s a willing backup. And he’s got that look in his eye, Joe… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted January 17, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2023 id bet the farm on Paul knocking him out within a minute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 18, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 18, 2023 Tough rebound for Yan this, coming off those O’Malley and Sterling losses. Granted both were close but Merab is probably the last guy you wanna be facing when you’re just trying to get back in the win column. Yan’s a twat but fair play to him for not looking for an easy route back or just going after a fading name like Cruz or something. Oh and how insane is March looking? Jones vs Gane, Edwards vs Usman 3, Gaethje vs Fiziev, now Yan vs Merab?  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panhead Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) https://www.espn.com.au/mma/story/_/id/35476934/valentina-shevchenko-fight-alexa-grasso-ufc-285 I tried to embed this but I don't what I'm fucking doing. Very excited for this though. Not just saying this because I have a huge crush on her (I'm totally blinkered), but I fancy Grasso's chances here. It's a massive task, but I genuinely think she could outstrike Valentina if she can keep her on her feet. Edited January 19, 2023 by Panhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted January 19, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 19, 2023 doozy alert: Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 19, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 19, 2023 That’s been rumoured for a while now, glad to see it’s been made official. Just seen Yanez has signed a new contract so that must’ve been what the holdup was getting the fight confirmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.