Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruick won’t fight for an interim belt at UFC 249. Stipe Miocic has not defended his title since avenging his loss to Daniel Cormier last August, but the promotion will wait for him to return.
“We even requested an interim title to the UFC, but actually they weren’t interested in all that,” Ngannou told MMA Fighting. “The fact is nobody knows when it’s going to be decided for the title in the heavyweight division again. It’s soon going to be one year, which is something very frustrating and makes me not want to think about it.”
Ngannou was originally expected to collide with Rozenstruick at UFC Columbus late last month, but that bout was rescheduled.
“Let’s say after May 9 happens and I beat this guy, what’s next? It’s just kind of a blind spot out there, and the UFC has to clear that out and let the heavyweight division know exactly what is the plan, what they’re going to do. I don’t think we’re going to be waiting for people. No disrespect for Stipe or Cormier, but I don’t think it’s fair that we just sit here and wait to fight.”
Unfortunately, the UFC hasn’t listened to the heavyweight’s overtures yet.
“As I said, I requested that, but there was no interest,” Ngannou said. “So why wouldn’t I be down for that since I asked for it? I think the division should move on.”
“Maybe after Jairzinho, they’re going to make me wait for a new guy to come up and fight again,” Ngannou said. “It’s been 10 months already since my last fight.”
