Khamzat Chimaev calls out Reinier de Ridder, Jon Jones holds out hope for UFC White House spot, Francis Ngannou discusses PFL Africa: MMA News Roundup

Welcome to today's edition of Sportskeeda MMA News Roundup. Khamzat Chimaev eyes a quick turnaround against Reinier de Ridder. Jon Jones insists he fancies his chances of fighting at the historic UFC White House card, while Francis Ngannou explains why he skipped PFL Africa’s inaugural event. Let's break them all down:

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Reinier de Ridder accepts Khamzat Chimaev’s callout for UFC 321

Fresh off his dominant UFC 319 win, Khamzat Chimaev looks set for a rapid turnaround in Abu Dhabi. Chimaev took to X to drop a simple "RDR" text, suggesting that Reinier de Ridder could be next.

The Dutch fighter declared that he's ready for the challenge in response to Chimaev’s message.

De Ridder (21-2) is riding a 4-0 UFC run, including a statement win over Robert Whittaker and Bo Nickal. Chimaev has yet to respond, but the matchup is already gaining traction with fans.

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Jon Jones holds out hope for UFC White House card

Despite Dana White pegging his odds at “a billion-to-one,” Jon Jones is keeping faith in competing at the historic UFC White House card planned for 2026.

Jones briefly retired earlier this year before re-entering the testing pool after President Donald Trump announced the White House event. While White has repeatedly dismissed Jones’ involvement, Jones remains motivated by the challenge.

He took to X and wrote:

"Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event. At the end of the day, Dana is the boss, and it’s his call whether I compete that night or not. I do know Dana was really excited about the fight, and the door hasn’t been completely closed... Sometimes in life, we’re not going to reach everything we set out to do and that’s okay. But I like my chances… after all, one in a billion is exactly what it took to end up as Jon ‘Bones’ Jones in the first place."

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Francis Ngannou explains absence from PFL Africa debut

Francis Ngannou has finally clarified why he skipped the launch of PFL Africa in Cape Town last month. The former UFC heavyweight champion, who signed with PFL in 2023 with promises of developing African MMA, admitted he was “not down for it.”

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ngannou said:

“I wasn’t very okay with the first PFL Africa event seeming to be like an undercard… We worked a lot for this, and I hoped the debut would at least have its glory, its moment.”

Although he praised the business side of the launch, Ngannou expressed disappointment that African fighters weren’t more prominently showcased.

Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below (2:20):