Francis Ngannou’s coach explains why he wants to get Jon Jones his first time out at heavyweight

Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick has explained why he wants Jon Jones’ first heavyweight fight to be against Francis Ngannou.

For years now we’ve been hearing talk of Jon Jones building his body up in the right way in anticipation of his move to the heavyweight division. The former light heavyweight king hasn’t been seen in the UFC since controversially beating Dominick Reyes in February 2020, with many wondering whether his issues with the promotion would prevent him from making that leap.

While the UFC has a lot to work out with regards to Francis Ngannou and his contract situation, Eric Nicksick is focused on trying to get back in there and ensure “Bones” makes his heavyweight debut against “The Predator”.

“Here’s why I wanna get him first out and not allow him to have a fight other than Francis in the heavyweight division – because he’s gonna have to figure that out on the fly [adjusting his wrestling style at heavyweight], when he’s in the cage locked in with Francis. So, I’m with you 100%. I played football and I understand the mass he’s putting on – that muscle is gonna command a certain type of oxygen. If he feels like that’s the way to answer this question, and to get into the heavyweight division, I think he’s wrong. He’s not gaining that weight naturally, Francis carries this weight naturally. We’ve learned how to dispose our cardio differently than most. I don’t know how he’s adding this muscle.”

As of this writing, there is no timeline for either man to return to the Octagon.

Do you think Francis Ngannou would be the clear favourite to beat Jon Jones if they were to fight later this year? If not, what is Jones’ best chance of victory? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!