Dana White and Jon Jones get appear to be far apart on negotiations for a Francis Ngannou fight, Stipe Miocic's wife gives an update on his condition, Sean O'Malley and more — here is your UFC 260 fallout news roundup.
Francis Ngannou wants Jon Jones fight next
Francis Ngannou intends on being a fighting champion, and if he has it his way Jon Jones will be the first to step-up.
“Personally, no, I don’t feel I need [to fight Stipe again],” Ngannou told press at the UFC 260 press conference (h/t MMA Fighting). “He said I won’t be a champion until he’s retired so maybe he’ll retire but if not, I’ll still be down to fight him. I have a loss against him and his time as the greatest heavyweight of all time. He makes sense for me to fight if needed.”
“I think Jon Jones makes more sense for me but either way, I’m going to fight,” he continued. “If Jon Jones doesn’t come to heavyweight, the division has to move. As the new heavyweight champion, I decided to move on, put more activity in the division than [Stipe] has been in the past two or three years."
Ultimately, Ngannou will defer to the UFC for matchmaking.
“I might be the champ but I don’t make the call. I’m just a fighter. So the UFC decides what really happens. But for what I want or what I like, yes, I would like that [fight with Jon Jones].”
Dana White says Francis Ngannou vs Derrick Lewis is "fight to make"
UFC President Dana White is eyeballing a rematch of arguably the most boring heavyweight fight in UFC history: Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis.
“Derrick Lewis is the fight to make, but if Jon Jones really wants that fight, and listen, it’s one thing to go out and tweet and say you want it, and I put on the weight and this and that – do you want the fight?” White asked at the post-fight press conference (h/t MMA Fighting). “I promise you we can call Derrick Lewis or one of these other heavyweights and they want the fight."
“If Jon Jones really wants the fight, Jon Jones knows he can get the fight. All he’s got to do is call and do it. It’s easy to say you want the fight, but if you really want the fight, Francis Ngannou is the heavyweight champion of the world right now. All he’s got to do is pick up the phone and call [UFC EVP and Chief Business Officer] Hunter [Campbell] and we can get the deal done.”
Jon Jones tells Dana White to move forward with Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis
Jon Jones is not giddy about fighting Francis Ngannou if the money doesn't make sense.
“It’s OK, [Derrick Lewis] can have the fight,” Jones replied to a tweet about UFC President Dana White using Ngannou vs. Lewis 2 to pressure Jones into a fight with Ngannou. “No need to rush a great thing. I’ve already had a Hall of Fame career, I’m going to need some bread.”
It’s OK, Derek can have the fight. No need to rush a great thing. I’ve already had a Hall of Fame career, I’m going to need some bread https://t.co/P3s2tORYjQ
— BONY (@JonnyBones) March 28, 2021
Jones' statement comes after White suggested the former UFC light heavyweight champion is scared of fighting Ngannou.
“If I’m Jon Jones and I’m home watching this fight, I start moving to 185,” White told press at the UFC 260 press conference (h/t MMA Junkie). "Listen, I could sit here all day and (ask) you, ‘What’s “Show me the money” mean?’ I tell you guys this all the time: You can say you want to fight somebody, but do you really want to?”
Jones subsequently shunned White on Instagram.
“What a great way to promote the fight,” he wrote. “Let’s just shit on Jon Jones and make him seem afraid. How dare he ask to get paid serious money for a serious fight.”
Dana White says Sean O'Malley painted "a masterpiece" at UFC 260
UFC President Dana White is impressed with Sean O'Malley's comeback at UFC 260.
“He looked good coming back in off of the ‘Chito’ Vera fight, he came in tonight against a real tough kid, durable, with serious punching power and he put on a masterpiece tonight," White told media at the UFC 260 press conference (h/t MMA Fighting). “He picked him apart, stayed on the outside and did whatever he wanted to do. He hurt him [in the first round], thought he finished him and then finished him again in the third round. You really couldn’t have put on a better performance than he did tonight.”
“You can make that fight anytime,” White said of a Vera rematch. “That one’s always there, but I don’t know what’s next for either one of those guys.”
Sean O'Malley says last shot vs. Thomas Almeida "was unnecessary"
Even Sean O'Malley knows he didn't need that last punch against Thomas Almeida.
O'Malley separated Almeida from consciousness in the third round of UFC 260. Following the fight, O'Malley broke down the finish.
“It was still potential viral. I think it was a good knockout, (but) that shot was unnecessary,” O’Malley told reporters at the post-fight news conference (h/t MMA Junkie). “I looked into his eyes – he wasn’t there. But in the first round, after (the referee) said, ‘Hey, if I don’t stop it, you have to keep fighting,’ I had to give him my little ‘2,’ a juicer to the lips.”
“I want to fight before the end of the year,” he concluded. “I don’t know when. I don’t know who. I want to get back in the G-I. I want to train and I want to get better. That’s my priority.”
Photo: Stipe Miocic's wife shares update on former champ's condition
Stipe Miocic is on the mend.
His wife Ryan Marie shared an update on the former UFC champion's condition following a second-round knockout loss to Francsi Ngannou. In the photo, Marie and a marked up Miocic smile for a selfie.
“All is well. Still my hero!” Ryan wrote on social media.
"All is well. Still my hero!" - Stipe Miocic is a true legend! #UFC260 pic.twitter.com/UNrvYqd3c8
— Sports Manor (@sports_manor) March 28, 2021
Vicente Luque wants Nate Diaz, Stephen Thompson or Leon Edwards
Vicente Luque exclusively wants to fight up the welterweight division unless he can get a dream fight with Nate Diaz.
Luque entered contenders territory with a first-round submission win over Tyron Woodley at UFC 260. Afterwards, Luque told the media who he wants to fight next.
“The fight I really wanted, Kamaru Usman took it – I wanted to fight [Jorge] Masvidal,” Luque told reporters at the post-fight news conference (h/t MMA Junkie). “I think that fight would be a banger. I think our styles match up really well, and that’s why I also called out Nate Diaz. I think out styles match up perfectly. If he’s interested in coming out of retirement, I’ll not fight a top five to fight him."
“But you know, my focus is on the top of the division. Leon Edwards, ‘Wonderboy’ [Stephen Thompson] – two guys that beat me. I would love those rematches, but we’ll see. I definitely want a high-level opponent right now.”
UFC 260 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totals $164,500
The stars of UFC 260 made a combined six-figures on Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay.
"The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy," according to MMA Junkie.
Francis Ngannou: $30,000
def. Stipe Miocic: $40,000Vicente Luque: $15,000
def. Tyron Woodley: $15,000Sean O'Malley: $5,000
def. Thomas Almeida: $5,000Miranda Maverick: $3,500
def. Gillian Robertson: $5,000Jamie Mullarkey: $3,500
def. Khama Worthy: $4,000Alonzo Menifield: $4,000
def. Fabio Cherant: $3,500Abubakar Nurmagomedov: $3,500
def. Jared Gooden: $3,500Michal Oleksiejczuk: $5,000
def. Modestas Bukauskas: $3,500Omar Morales: $4,000
def. Shane Young: $4,000Marc-Andre Barriault: $4,000
def. Abu Azaitar: $3,500
Fightful has all of your MMA needs covered. Follow us on Twitter for updates, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, lists, news updates, and predictions.
