Francis Ngannou says having Jon Jones in the building on Saturday only sharpens the moment. Ngannou is scheduled to face Philipe Lins on the main card at MVP MMA 1 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and Jones will be part of the broadcast team for the event.
Speaking Wednesday during an open workout scrum in Venice, California, Ngannou said the setting makes the night feel bigger than a single bout. “Well, it's going to be very interesting to have Jon Jones in the same arena at night watching,” he said. “It's very interesting to see how it's going to be, but we will see.” He added, “It will be great.”
The fight comes months after Ngannou finished Renan Ferreira to win the PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship in October 2024. He left the UFC as heavyweight champion and now carries that same claim into a new stage, saying he wants to remind everyone he is the best heavyweight in the world.
The Jones connection gives Saturday’s card an extra edge because the two men were once discussed as a UFC matchup that never happened. Ngannou and Jones were in talks while both were under the UFC banner, but the fight fell apart before it could be made. Jones is now in a rift with the UFC and has even asked for his release, adding another layer to a reunion that will play out from opposite sides of the event.
Ngannou said the broadcast role for Jones makes the event feel even more singular. “It adds to be what I'm saying, this event is just like one-standing event,” he said. “Jon Jones never broadcast, did he?” He also said, “I'm very excited about that, and I have been preparing myself for that.”
For Ngannou, the focus still returns to the cage. “Now we are ready,” he said. “Just days away to go out there and showcase that.” With the heavyweight division still shaped by debates over who sits at the top, Saturday gives Ngannou a chance to make that argument again, with Jones watching from the broadcast table instead of the opposite corner.
