Francis Ngannou explains why he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Stipe Miocic beats Jon Jones at UFC 309

Francis Ngannou has explained why he wouldn’t be surprised to see Stipe Miocic defeat Jon Jones at UFC 309 next month.

As we know, Stipe Miocic will challenge Jon Jones for the UFC heavyweight championship next month. If he’s able to win the strap, he’ll become a three-time UFC world champion. In doing so, he’ll surely cement his legacy as the greatest heavyweight ever.

RELATED: Francis Ngannou weighs in on the upcoming heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic at UFC 295

With that being said, a lot of fans and pundits believe Jones winning is a foregone conclusion. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Stipe compete in the cage and given his advanced age, it would make sense to see him lose to someone like Jon.

With that being said, his former opponent Francis Ngannou isn’t writing him off that quickly.

Ngannou predicts Jones/Miocic

“Stipe hasn’t fought for three years — since we last fought,” Ngannou told Ariel Helwani. “So, I don’t really know where he’s at, I don’t know how he’s going to show up. I know he always shows up good, but it’s been awhile and he’s not getting younger.

“All of those questions make me shift slightly to the Jones side, even though I feel the fight is half-half [50-50],” Ngannou continued. “Stipe is a guy who is very committed when he shows up — he shows up in-full. So, if he shows up in-full, he can really surprise you, right? I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins.”

Quotes via MMA Mania

Either way, it promises to be a good one in New York City.

What do you expect to happen when Stipe Miocic challenges Jon Jones for the belt at Madison Square Garden? Will Tom Aspinall face the winner? Let us know your thoughts, BJPENN Nation!