UFC No. 1 ranked heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou said Friday he's hoping to challenge champion Stipe Miocic in December, and he's "100 percent sure" nothing will get in the way of his championship opportunity.
Ngannou was asked who would he pick for his first title defense if he beat Miocic and were given the choice of opponent.
"If they asked me which I would want, I think I have undone business with Derrick Lewis," said Ngannou, who dropped a lackluster unanimous decision to Lewis in 2018. "[It seems like] that fight never happened in my opinion, and it's supposed to happen. And I think this time it's going to be different, very different, believe me."
But Ngannou understands a fight against Lewis wouldn't exactly move the needle.
"I think the fight against Jon Jones would make more sense, because I'm not sure I'm really in position to talk about that fight against Derrick Lewis, because people don't want to hear about it," he said. "But at some point it's going to happen and when it does, it's going to be different.
"Overall, I would take Jon Jones. It's a better matchup, a better fight, and it's going to be more lucrative."
Ngannou said he expects Jones to make a successful transition to heavyweight, and in fact it might be an easier division for the long-time light heavyweight champ.
"Everybody knows Jon will do well everywhere he goes," Ngannou said. "There's not a doubt about it. His fight IQ, and experience, and everything. Jon has to seriously cut weight to make light heavyweight, from what I heard, so I think heavyweights might even be easier for Jon Jones. Heavyweights hit harder, but it's not he same technique."
Jones made his pitch on social media Saturday after Miocic defended his belt against Daniel Cormier to be Miocic's next opponent. But UFC president Dana White stated publicly that Ngannou will get Miocic next, and Ngannou said his manager followed up with the UFC this week and he's confident he'll get his shot.
Miocic won a unanimous decision over Ngannou on July 7, 2018.
"I don't recognize [myself] fighting against Stipe," Ngannou said. "It wasn't me. The type of rushing, when I look at other fights, it's not like that. I just know in my mind what happened that day and I don't want it to happen again.
"I see [a rematch] playing out differently," he added. "First of all, I'll just try to calm down and be patient, take it easy. I will not walk in just to knock him out or finish the fight as soon as possible. I'll just let it go and see what happens. As long as I'm under control of myself and stay composed, that's all that I need."
Ngannou has fought just once in the last 14 months, stopping Jairzinho Rozenstruik in May. His inactivity was a source of frustration in the past, but he said it's no longer a problem.
"I try to let it go, don't want to get frustrated about what I can't control," he said. "Otherwise it will screw up my mind and mess up with my life, mess up with my nerves, which is something I don't want. I'm very cool, trying to let things happen. Because lately, I wanted so bad to get back in action, and at some point I understood it was just better to let what happens, happen."