Jon Jones Reacts to Francis Ngannou’s Win at UFC 260, Trades Barbs with Dana White

Jon Jones made the choice to move to heavyweight for a moment like this one.

Francis Ngannou’s emphatic knockout of Stipe Miocic in the UFC 260 headliner set the stage for a potentially lucrative showdown with Jones down the road. Jones vacated his 205-pound belt last year, and it has generally expected that “Bones” would get the first crack at the winner of Saturday’s title bout.

Jones’ initial reaction to Ngannou’s victory was to the point: “Show me the money,” he tweeted.

Show me the money

— BONY (@JonnyBones) March 28, 2021

Ngannou, meanwhile, appeared ready to book the matchup in his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

“Jon Jones is the greatest of all time for mixed martial arts and him moving up, he's a challenge that I would take and to put it on my record would be a very good thing on my resume,” Ngannou said. “This time he's gonna be the challenger, I am the champ.

“I’m ready. Any time. If it’s summer, I’ll be read to fight in July or August.”

When Jones’ initial tweet was relayed to Dana White at the post-fight press conference, that’s when things got chippy, as the UFC president questioned Jones’ willingness to step up and face an adversary as intimidating as Ngannou.

“If I’m Jon Jones and I’m home watching this fight, I start moving to 185,” White sad. “Listen, I could sit here all day and [ask] you, ‘What’s ‘Show me the money” mean?’ I tell you guys this all the time: You can say you want to fight somebody, but do you really want to?”

Jones in turn responded to White’s comments via Twitter.

“Go to 185?” Jones wrote. “I didn’t gain all this weight for no reason.”

Jones has been quite visible on social media in his quest to prepare for a move to heavyweight, working in the weight room to reach a target goal of approximately 245 pounds. When Jones first began seriously contemplating a move to heavyweight last year, he and White clashed over financial terms. Later, however, White said he and the fighter were in a good place.

According to White, Jones can have the fight with Ngannou as soon as he’s ready. He then urged Jones to call UFC executive vice president Hunter Campbell, who is usually on better terms with the former champion than White has been.

“That sounds serious then, Jon. Call Hunter right now. We can make that fight tonight, Jon,” White said. “Call Hunter right now. Derrick Lewis is the fight to make, but if Jon Jones really wants that fight … Listen, it’s one thing to go out and tweet and say you want it and ‘I put on the weight and did this and that.’ Do you want the fight? I promise you, we can call Derrick Lewis or one of these other heavyweights and they want the fight.

“If Jon Jones really wants the fight, Jon Jones knows he can get the fight. All he’s got to do is call and do it. I said, it’s easy to say you want the fight, but if you really want the fight. Francis Ngannou is the heavyweight champion of the world right now. All he’s got to do is pick up the phone and call Hunter and we can get the deal done.”

While Ngannou is undoubtedly one of the most fearsome knockout artists in the history of the sport, Jones continued to dispute the notion that he wouldn’t want to fight the new champion. A fight between Ngannou and Jones is likely the biggest bout the promotion could book in 2021, and “Bones” wants to be properly compentated.

“If anyone is wondering if I really want to fight, the answer is yes. I also really want to get paid,” Jones wrote. “I quit the light heavyweight division, literally gained a massive amount of weight. And now people are saying I’m afraid? Everyone but me claiming that I’m afraid. All I asked was to get paid.

“Why does a fighter have to be afraid the second he mentions he wants to get paid his worth? What an insult,” he continued. "Conor McGregor wants big money, it’s expected. Jon Jones wants money, now he’s [scared].

“People wonder why I gave up my belt at age 33. I’ve been working my butt off, gained all this weight. Have never lost a fight before. Now all of a sudden I am scared. What bullshit.”