The main event of UFC Minneapolis is between two of the premier strikers in the heavyweight division, and Francis Ngannou believes he has the edge over Junior dos Santos (and the rest of the weight class) on the feet.
Las Vegas, NV – UFC Minneapolis Media Day took place today in Las Vegas with select fighters on the card available for questions, including headliner Francis Ngannou. After a two-fight losing streak, Ngannou has bounced back with a pair of sub-minute knockouts over Cain Velasquez and Curtis Blaydes ahead of his main event bout with Junior dos Santos.
This fight was originally set to take place on July 6 at UFC 239, but was bumped up to the main event of UFC Minneapolis a week earlier. Ngannou gave his thoughts on the schedule change.
“We thought about it, but it didn’t take that long because it was just one week earlier. No change. So we agreed to the fight. I don’t think this fight is going to go five rounds, and we still had time to adjust to everything.”
Ngannou and Junior dos Santos were originally scheduled to fight in 2017 before a USADA violation for JDS caused the fight to fizzle. The Cameroonian has been looking forward to this one.
“I called for this fight a very long time ago, then in 2017 I was supposed to fight him at UFC 215, then had some kind of issues and it didn’t happen. Then they told me about it again and it was just perfect timing.”
Dos Santos has long been recognized as the best boxer at heavyweight in the UFC. Francis Ngannou and his blistering knockout power beg to differ.
“I think I’m the best boxer in the heavyweight division and I’m going to prove that on the 29th. Yes, he’s a very good boxer, but I’m going to show that I’m better than him.”
This fight will likely determine the next challenger for the heavyweight title, which will be fought for in August between Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic.
“It should be [a number-one contender fight]. I was expecting a title fight before, but they didn’t give me that. I’m number-two, he’s number-three. The champ and number-one are fighting, so I think the winner of this fight will fight the winner of that one.”
With that being said, Ngannou gave his thoughts on the upcoming heavyweight title fight.
“I think that this fight won’t be like the first one. It’s not going to be a first-round knockout. This fight might last more than one round and it’s going to be very tough for both of them, because they’re going to go in there and give it their all. It’s tough to determine who will win.”
While he might not have a big, Ngannou has a person he’d prefer to have their hand raised.
“Either way, I’m going to fight Stipe back. Yes, to win the title over Stipe would be great, to take it where I left it, it would be great. Either way, DC too would be a good matchup before he retires.”
Junior dos Santos has been at the top of the mountain for a long time, long enough for Ngannou to recognize his name when he was just getting into mixed martial arts.
“At that time, I went on YouTube and started to watch fights, it was Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar, Alistair Overeem. That was the four who were at the top at the time. So I thought, ‘If I end up fighting these guys, that means I’m great too. So I’ll keep pushing. I got two of them, so I’ll keep chasing.”
See if Francis Ngannou knocks a third name off that list next week in the main event of UFC Minneapolis on June 29 on ESPN, and check out the rest of the scrum above.
