Jon Jones reacts to Francis Ngannou's brutal knockout win at the PFL Battle of the Giants

Jon Jones was paying attention to Francis Ngannou's return to MMA – and he was impressed.

Ngannou headlined the PFL's Battle of the Giants pay-per-view card in Saudi Arabia on Saturday and faced Renan Ferreira. The former UFC heavyweight champion defeated Ferreira in the first round with an absolutely brutal punch and punch that left his opponent unconscious on the canvas.

Jones took to Twitter and shut down Ngannou and his performance.

“What a great job Francis did tonight, he put on a complete MMA game,” Jones wrote. “Great kicks, great takedowns. It feels good to see him shine. Wow, congratulations champ, I see you.”

Ngannou and Jones were linked to a possible fight for years before the former made the decision to leave the UFC and vacate the title. Jones fought former interim champion Ciryl Gane for the vacant belt at UFC 285 in March 2023, winning his second division title with a quick submission.

“The Predator” competed in MMA for the first time in almost three years, having had two boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, suffering defeats in both contests.

Jones will now defend against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden next month.