Although Dana White has confirmed that the highly anticipated unification showdown between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall is “100% on,” doubts persist about whether the fight will come to fruition. The Englishman has held the interim belt for over 14 months now and is still eyeing that generational clash against Jones. The situation is at a stalemate and so the question arises if Dana White would take the risk of putting the fight together.

Among the skeptics is up-and-coming 170fer Adam Fugitt, who, ahead of his upcoming bout against newly signed contender Islam Dulatov, shared his thoughts with our very own, Andrew Whitelaw of EssentiallySports. Fugitt voiced his concerns about the Jon Jones-Aspinall matchup, stating, “I don’t think you know I’m a pessimist. I don’t know if Aspinall-Jones is gonna happen; that’s just my opinion. I think it should happen, and I think it would make a ton of money.”

He also alluded to the possibility of a future showdown between ‘Bones’ and Francis Ngannou, who left the UFC for PFL in 2023 due to contract issues. White’s partnership with Saudi boxing mogul Turki Alalshikh has brought substantial financial backing to both the UFC and PFL, raising fans’ hopes for potential cross-promotion events. Sharing his thoughts, Fugitt said, “But you also see Francis Ngannou coming out and calling out Jones again. I don’t think the UFC will, but maybe. That would definitely be one to watch.”

Alalshikh’s significant investments, including the over $20 million production cost of the UFC 306 event during the ‘Riyadh Season Noche’ have reignited excitement about cross-promotion possibilities. This raises the question: could the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou fight finally become a reality, or might the UFC and PFL collaborate on other blockbuster events?

What could make Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou a reality?

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, shares the same excitement as MMA fans about the potential mega-clash between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. This dream matchup, pitting the UFC heavyweight champion’s elite wrestling against ‘Predator’s’ devastating striking, has long been a tantalizing prospect. However, timing and circumstances have so far kept it out of reach.

In 2023, Francis Ngannou left the UFC and joined the PFL, taking a break to explore boxing, where he earned millions. His return to MMA last autumn, marked by a dominant win over Renan Ferreira in the PFL cage, seemed to push a Jones-Ngannou heavyweight showdown further from reality.

Despite the odds, Al-Sheikh is determined to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for sports and entertainment. What better way to achieve this than hosting a historic clash between these two MMA giants? Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Al-Sheikh hinted at his ambitious plans, saying, “I have on the table two options for Francis [Ngannou]. One in MMA and one in boxing I want to discuss with [him].”

The lingering question, however, is whether Dana White, the UFC CEO and a vocal critic of Ngannou, would greenlight such a fight. Al-Sheikh humorously addressed this potential hurdle, stating, “The MMA, you know, all the time. My answer is, we want to do the biggest things… We need to send Dana White to the moon.”