Written by Lucas Themelis
With UFC 260 slowly permeating deeper into the memory of mixed martial arts fans across the globe, it is appropriate to discuss what comes next as it applies to the heavyweight division, more notably the title picture.
UFC 260 was a historic night. Not only did Africa add another world titleholder, but Francis Ngannou would become the first new champion since Israel Adesanya in 2019 to finish a reigning champion with his 2nd round knockout of Stipe Miocic.
With a new king of the division in Francis Ngannou, the scariest athlete on the planet, fans cannot wait to see his first title defense. Realistically, there are three options that can be considered for the task of Francis's inaugural title defense: former champion Stipe Miocic, Derrick Lewis, or Jon Jones. Each man has a fair claim at an opportunity to face Ngannou, but it is increasingly unclear who will receive the shot.
In this situation, with Francis and Stipe having a victory over each other, usually, there would be a trilogy fight. This is always how it has been, and this typically makes sense. But, I do not believe this is the fight to make, considering the other choices, and here is why.
Stipe just got knocked out in a very violent fashion, and although he has said since that he is fine and recovering, it is unnecessary for someone with Stipe's resume and legacy to continue taking damage at his age. As it currently stands, Stipe is the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, and retiring as such would not be a bad thing for him.
Of course, this is only my opinion, and the former champ has made no indication of retirement. If Stipe wants the fight, Dana White would be put in a difficult situation, as he has granted an immediate rematch to a former champ in a trilogy fight before and has put Stipe on the shelf while Daniel Cormier was the heavyweight champion.
However, it is likely Stipe would take a healthy amount of time away, even considering only receiving a 60-day medical suspension. Due to this, and the fact that the new champion and Dana White seem to be on the prowl for his first title challenger, this trilogy may not take place yet, if ever.
Another likely contender for Francis is Derrick Lewis, the last man to defeat the champion. After Ngannou’s unsuccessful crack at Stipe in 2018, Francis would step back into the octagon less than six months later against Lewis. Lewis would “earn” the unanimous decision victory, in what many fans saw as one of the worst contests in heavyweight history.
A total of 31 strikes were landed in the contest, going the distance of three rounds. For comparison, Ngannou would triple his output from that night at UFC 260 in just less than six minutes. The reason this fight turned out like this is relatively apparent. Both men possess freakish power that can put anyone's lights out instantly, and both men did not want to fall victim to the other in that fashion and fought with an emphasis on that notion, instead of having the confidence in their abilities to frequently engage.
Currently, Derek Lewis has the most knockouts in heavyweight history with twelve; Francis right behind him with ten. This is a fight between two of, if not the hardest-hitting UFC fighters ever. However, because of that fact, this fight could fall short of the fireworks everyone hopes it would provide, as their last meeting, but it is safe to say the pair will do everything in their power to avoid this.
Finally, there is Jon Jones. Arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, Jon relinquished his UFC light heavyweight belt last May to move to the heavyweight division. Jones ruled over the light heavyweight division for a decade, given a few breaks in action due to much controversy. Achieving as much as there is to achieve at light heavyweight, Jones has now stated he has been as heavy as 250 pounds as he looks to accomplish even greater heights.
This is the fight to make, in my opinion. The GOAT vs. the scariest competitor alive would sell itself for the UFC. The fight is guaranteed to be a barn burner. Jon, along with his incredible fight IQ, employs defensive wrestling, unorthodox Muay Thai, and a diverse kicking arsenal to break down his adversaries. Not to mention Jon is one of the most dangerous wrestlers on the roster and has a plethora of submissions to try from multiple positions.
However, Ngannou has the ultimate equalizer in either of his hands. He has also shown incredible improvement at UFC 260, displaying takedown defense and his own ground game. It would also be necessary to note that we had seen Ngannou finish an opponent with a 1st round kimura submission back in 2016.
This fight has the potential to be one of the biggest fights in UFC history, and the star power and skills necessary are there. Jons fight IQ is second to none, and it will be very interesting to see how he decides to manage his slight inch and a half reach advantage throughout the fight if it comes to pass, as he usually possesses much more of an advantage in this area.
That being said, it is quite unclear as to who Francis will defend his belt against first. Jones tweeted "Show me the money" immediately after Ngannou’s title victory. In later tweets; he stated that 8-10 million for this fight would not be enough to sign the dotted line. Derrick Lewis then said he would be more than happy to do the fight for 8 million.
This causes an interesting dynamic for Dana White and the UFC. Do they pay Jones and give us a fight we have not seen that could be the biggest in history, or does Lewis get the opportunity, on what seems like a discount for Dana, and we get two of the most powerful men on the planet facing off each other, again. Hopefully, news will come soon regarding Francis and his first title defense, but for now, the only clear thing is that Francis is ready for all competitors to try and take his crown.
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