Francis Ngannou coach ‘100 percent’ confident fighter is open to UFC return, Jon Jones reacts

Francis Ngannou’s time with the UFC may not be over.

It’s been over three years since Ngannou final competed within the octagon and two years since he departed in free company to hitch the PFL. Ngannou has fought one time throughout that span, defeating Renan Ferreira by way of knockout in October 2024, however in any other case has been largely out of sight. Most lately, he was concerned in a tragic incident in his native Cameroon, the place he was concerned in a motorbike accident that resulted within the dying of a 17-year-old woman.

There’s no telling when or if the 38-year-old Ngannou will battle once more, however his coach Eric Nicksick thinks one profession possibility could possibly be to return to the UFC someplace down the street.

“I do know that he’s been form of asking for that [Deontay] Wilder battle, and if that’s one thing that comes up, nice,” Nicksick instructed Residence of Combat. “I simply really feel just like the heavyweight division as an entire is form of in shambles, and I feel that if we will someway, someway get this again collectively, there’s so many choices for Francis. Not solely within the UFC, however simply round. I feel that he can assist bridge that hole that the UFC is missing in its star energy in terms of the heavyweight division,

“I feel sufficient time has handed. I might like to see someway, someway that they will mend these fences and get again in competing within the UFC.”

Ngannou parted methods with the UFC below acrimonious circumstances and with a heavyweight title nonetheless round his waist. In his final battle for the promotion, he efficiently defended his heavyweight title with a choice win over Ciryl Gane. What adopted was a chronic contract negotiation with UFC that led to January 2023 when Ngannou was allowed to develop into an unrestricted free agent.

Although UFC CEO Dana White has publicly criticized Ngannou on a number of events, Nicksick is satisfied the 2 can put apart their variations for the sake of enterprise.

“one hundred pc,” Nicksick stated. “I feel that is extra about enterprise than it’s about ego, at the least it’s from Francis’ facet. He needs the chance to be paid for — It’s like being an unbiased contractor. You [want to be] paid the best quantity for whoever wants your providers. He doesn’t need to be caught ready the place he’s not allowed to go field or he’s not allowed to go do these items, however he went out and did these items and he competed and made some huge cash, proved that he might do it. So, now, the place does his motivation come from?

“It’s not about cash, it’s about competitors, and the perfect competitors is within the UFC.”

Ngannou’s six-year UFC run was stuffed with highlights, together with a few of the most vicious knockouts in MMA historical past and notable wins over Gane, Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes, and Andrei Arlovski.

Nicksick believes an Ngannou return wouldn’t simply be useful for “The Predator,” it might assist to brighten up a heavyweight division made stagnant by the inactivity of undisputed champion Jon Jones and the shelving of interim champion Tom Aspinall.

“I feel Dana is a smart-enough businessman that it’s not about his ego, it’s about what’s finest for his firm, and I feel {that a} man like Dana is level-headed sufficient to say, like, ‘Look, the previous is the previous and we will get by means of these issues if these items can work out for us sooner or later, why not?’” Nicksick stated. “Why not discover these choices?

“Have a look at the heavyweight division proper now. What’s occurring? You’ve bought this poor man in Tom Aspinall that’s been holding on to an interim belt for nearly 600 days now. What are we doing right here? I’m not saying Francis is the reply, however it at the least provides some extra worth to your heavyweight division should you exit and get a man like him and convey him again. Let bygones be bygones, all people’s creating wealth, all people’s blissful, however it will get issues shifting.”

Later, Jones took to Twitter to react to Nicksick’s feedback.

“I’m listening to Francis Ngannou continues to be ,” Jones wrote. “Now we’re speaking. That’s an actual superfight. A conflict of champions, not simply hype. He held the UFC belt, I’ve defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from totally different roads. Not only one legend dealing with a mouth that’s sizzling proper now, however two actual legacies colliding. That’s the form of battle that really provides one thing particular to my story. At the least from my perspective.”