PFL champion Ante Delija feels that the winner of a clash between he and Francis Ngannou will decide the world's best heavyweight - ahead of even the UFC's Jon Jones.
The Croatian powerhouse blasted his way to PFL gold, and the $1million that comes with it, by knocking out three of his four opponents to win last year's season. And he is looking to reclaim his title this year, hoping it will seal him a showdown with MMA's top heavyweight Ngannou next year.
Hard-hitting Cameroonian Ngannou left the UFC as champion earlier this year, and even legendary light-heavyweight Jones moving up and winning his vacant belt hasn't stopped experts from considering him the greatest in the world. And after a foray into boxing this year, he will return to the cage under his new promotion next year in a 'super-fight' pay-per-view.
And Delija is pushing for a fight with Ngannou, which he feels will prove MMA's top heavyweight. "I am very motivated to conquer this belt again," he told media through a translator in Atlanta ahead of his return to action this Friday night against UFC veteran Yorgan De Castro. "And then I'll fight Francis Ngannou.
"Ngannou is ranked as No.1 in the world at heavyweight and I also think that I should be No.1 ranked in the world so of course I'm going to go for it... We cannot know until this fight happens but I am very highly motivated to fight him at any cost - the winner of that fight will be the best heavyweight in the world."
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The iconic heavyweight's contract with PFL has been viewed by many as a game changer within the industry; it will allow him to fight outside of the cage in boxing and will see him share in the event profits for his MMA return. And perhaps most interesting for whomever he does face, he has demanded a minimum purse that could be as high as seven figures for his opponent.
But Delija isn't concerned about the money, having already forged a solid career for himself that culminated last season in becoming a millionaire with his win over Matheus Scheffel. "I have no problem with this," he added. "When I win the belt again I just want to fight him and that's it."
You can watch Ante Delija's return to the cage on Friday night against Yorgan De Castro in the PFL regular season live on DAZN
