MMA super-fight between UFC champ Jon Jones and PFL star Francis Ngannou moves step closer with talks kickstarting

THE biggest heavyweight fight in MMA has moved a step closer thanks to the help of Saudi Arabia’s boxing powerbroker.

Saudi kingpin Turki Alalshikh has helped revitalise boxing by bringing enough cash to have the sport’s most bitter promoters come together.

He bankrolled Oleksandr Usyk’s sensational win over Tyson Fury in May and has put up the funds for a December 21 rematch back in Riyadh.

But now Alalshikh is stepping into the MMA business having partnered with the UFC and Professional Fighters League .

The UFC have historically refused to work with any other rival – which has ruled out a heavyweight blockbuster between Jones and Ngannou.

But even UFC boss Dana White recently admitted – for the first time – he would be open to working out a deal for Jones to fight Ngannou on behalf of Alalshikh.

And PFL CEO Peter Murray – ahead of Ngannou’s MMA return fight against Renan Ferreira in Saudi on October 19 – is in the same boat.

Murray told SunSport: “We’ve talked about Jon Jones and Francis.

“Jon Jones was at our fights last year and there was a moment between Francis and Jon.

“It really got everyone excited about, would this fight be possible given the current construct of Jon being with the UFC and Francis being with the PFL.

“What I can tell you is we’re a proponent of the fight and we’d like to make it happen.

“But we’re focused on Francis versus Renan. That’s the conversation now, of course.”

The PFL debuted in Saudi in February when 6ft 8in Ferreira, 34, knocked out Ryan Bader, 41, to earn a fight with Ngannou.

Ngannou had two boxing bouts in Saudi but suffered points defeat to Fury, 36, and was knocked out by Anthony Joshua, 34.

He will now make his return against Ferreira after two years out the cage having walked out on the UFC and a fight with Jones to pursue boxing.

But now with Ngannou, 37, back in MMA and the powerful Saudi behind them, the PFL are ready to strike a deal with Jones, 37, and the UFC.

Murray added: “We’re supportive. We want to put that fight together and given our partnership with Surge, our Saudi strategic partner, what we’re doing in KSA, I’d say anything’s possible.”

PFL owner Donn Davis added in DC: “We want to give the fans what they want and maybe the fans will get that. Wouldn’t that be great?”