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If Jon Jones really wants a piece of Francis Ngannou, The Predator tells TMZ Sports he’s 1 million percent down to clash with the UFC superstar!!!
Of course, it’s not that simple … Jon’s the light heavyweight champ and currently fights at 205 lbs. Francis is the #2 ranked heavyweight … and negotiations haven’t even gotten started yet.
But, Ngannou says the bottom line is that he’s game … IF Jon’s serious about moving up a weight class and actually signing on the dotted line.
“Listen, let’s be clear about something. If that’s what you want to know, if I would fight Jon Jones if he goes up to heavyweight, of course. I would say the same thing as he says, it’s inevitable if Jon Jones goes to heavyweight. I’m gonna fight him.”
Francis is referring to a tweet Jones sent Tuesday night … when a fan asked him if he could ever imagine himself fighting Ngannou.
Jones — who recently said none of the light heavyweight contenders excite him — responded … “I feel like that fight is inevitable.”
During our conversation with Ngannou, he also revealed the UFC offered him a crack at Alexander Volkov on November 9 — with only 18 days notice — but says he rejected the fight ’cause he didn’t have time to prep and fighting a lower-ranked guy didn’t make sense.
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Greg Hardy — who we spoke to about the match on Tuesday — ultimately accepted the fight.
While he waits, Ngannou — coming off KO’s of Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos — is clearly frustrated with the UFC … ’cause he thinks they’re dragging their feet booking him a fight.
“I just want to tell the UFC to pay me some respect and give me a damn fight, that’s what I’m asking for. I was expecting to have a fight by December to make my Christmas and New Year for my family,” Francis tells us.
“Hey, man … I need a fight. I need to make money.”
Cash … well, a Jon Jones fight would make hella money.