Jon Jones Seeks Release From 8-Fight UFC Deal to Face Francis Ngannou

7 articles · Updated · theScore · May 17

Jon Jones said the only realistic path to a Francis Ngannou fight is getting out of his UFC contract and staging it under Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions banner.
Six fights remain on the eight-bout deal Jones signed in 2023, and he said Dana White is unlikely to work directly with Ngannou after the former UFC heavyweight champion left as a free agent.
Francis Ngannou, 39, fueled the matchup talk by knocking out Philipe Lins in the first round on Saturday and saying afterward he expects to fight Jones before they retire.
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said he does not expect the UFC to release Jones, though he said the company would co-promote because Jones-Ngannou would be a major heavyweight event.
Jones, who retired last June and later walked that back, again said he feels retired now because business interests are thriving and he has little reason to return.

With severe arthritis and retirement, is Jones's callout of Ngannou genuine or a final play for relevance?

Can Jon Jones legally escape his UFC contract to make the Francis Ngannou super-fight happen?

Is Jake Paul's high-paying MVP promotion a genuine threat to the UFC's long-held MMA dominance?