The main reason why Francis Ngannou, and Jon Jones for that matter, aren’t in the UFC right now is simple, money. Both men wanted more money to fight, with Jones famously saying he wanted as much as Deontay Wilder to fight Ngannou, while Ngannou also wanted health insurance and more money for his opponents to help boost fighter pay across the board.

Whether or not Ngannou gets back on the same page as Dana White remains to be seen, but when he was asked if he would be willing to propose to the UFC that he wants to fight Jones rather than the other way around, Ngannou explained that it would simply be down to the contract and whether it works for all parties.

“I have no problem with contracts. I have a problem with the way the contract is being used. I still sign a contract, even if it’s not fighting. I’m a businessman, so I understand the concept of contract, which is an agreement between to people that have to assure they deliver something. Now, if we both deliver whatever is agreed on in the contract, I see no reason for us [not] to keep doing business. In fact, when you sign a good contract, you want to get your partner happy, to maybe re-sign. Like, ‘Okay, this has been such a good partnership. Why not re-sign? Why not re-do this? We are winning together, why not continue?’ So I really don’t have a problem with a contract itself. When I sign a contract, I make sure that I deliver. I honor my part of the contract… Bring me the contract, I look at it. If it’s right, I sign. It has to be right and fair, that’s all that I’m saying.”

Please credit “ESPN MMA” when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.