Top heavyweight prospect Francis Ngannou will meet former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos on September 9 at UFC 215, it was announced today.
The fight in Edmonton, Canada marks a considerable step up in class for Ngannou, whose career-best win is a first-round knockout of Andrei Arlovski, yet is one many MMA fans have wanted for some time. It’s the chance for Ngannou to stake his claim for a UFC title shot and will tell us all we need to know about the heavy-handed Cameroonian
Ngannou, 10-1, has scored five straight finishes in the UFC to date and looks to be the heavyweight division’s most enticing prospect in 2017. The 30-year-old relocated to Las Vegas a couple of months ago in a move to take his game to the next level and would appear to be equipped to make a serious ascent on UFC gold.
Dos Santos, 18-5, meanwhile, is a Brazilian who has already scaled the heights. The 33-year-old held the UFC heavyweight title in 2011 and 2012, after knocking out Cain Velasquez inside a round, and also boasts quality wins against the likes of current champion Stipe Miocic, Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt. A hard puncher with both hands, dos Santos remains a danger to most, yet was last seen being stopped inside a round by Miocic and could be on the slide.
The truth will out on September 9. Either Francis Ngannou will emerge as the next potential UFC heavyweight champion or Junior dos Santos will expose his title dream as being just that.
