Impressed, Jon Jones surrenders to Francis Ngannou's performance and praises the champion

Jon Jones He is UFC champion. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

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Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou was the main attraction of the 'Battle of Giants', a PFL event held last Saturday (19), in Saudi Arabia. The Cameroonian faced the Brazilian Renan 'Problema' in a dispute for the heavyweight title (up to 120,2 kg) of the organization. Although many expected a balanced duel, the 'Predator' did not give chances and finished the fight in the first round, which earned him praise from the fans and even the current UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. 

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Known for his knockout power and aggressiveness in the stand-up fight, Ngannou surprised everyone by adopting a strategic approach to the fight. The fight began with low kicks and a lot of study and, in a moment of carelessness from 'Problema', Ngannou took the fight to the ground. After some transitions on the ground, the former UFC champion knocked out his opponent with 'ground and pound'. The performance was eye-catching even for Jon Jones, who went to 'X' (formerly Twitter) to praise the Cameroonian.  

“What an incredible job Francis did tonight, showed a complete MMA game. Great kicks, great takedowns. Good to see him shine. Wow, congrats champ, I see you,” Jones wrote.  

Francis' return to MMA  

The victory marked Ngannou's return to MMA after nearly three years away from the sport. His last fight had been a victory over Cyryl Gane No. UFC 270, in January 2022, when he defended the Ultimate heavyweight belt. During his time away from the octagon, the Cameroonian ventured into boxing against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, but was defeated in both fights.