Francis Ngannou graced the UFC stage for the primary time in additional than three years on Friday.
Forward of the promotion’s extremely anticipated return to Atlanta, fighters weighed in for the occasion, together with headliner and former welterweight world champion Kamaru Usman, who’s scheduled to sq. off with surging contender Joaquin Buckley.
Becoming a member of the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ throughout the ceremonial weigh-ins was none aside from Ngannou, an in depth private buddy to Usman.
‘The Predator’ has spent the previous couple of years underneath the PFL banner, although his appearances with the promotion have been few and much between. Actually, the previous UFC heavyweight champion has solely competed as soon as contained in the Sensible Cage, smashing his method by means of Renan Ferreira on the PFL’s Battle of the Giants pay-per-view in October.
Earlier than that, Ngannou made back-to-back appearances contained in the squared circle, almost besting Tyson Fury earlier than getting KO’d by Anthony Joshua.
Francis Ngannou’s coach says he’s prepared for a UFC comeback
In line with Ngannou’s coach, Eric Nicksick, the Cameroonian is as soon as once more seeking to re-enter the Octagon the place a heavyweight superfight with Jon Jones nonetheless awaits.
“Sufficient time has handed, I’d like to see them mend these fences and get again to competing within the UFC,” Nicksick informed House of Combat. “I feel it’s extra about enterprise than it’s about ego, at the very least it’s from Francis’ facet. Now the place does his motivations come from? It’s not about cash, it’s about competitors. And the most effective competitors is within the UFC.”
It’s an attention-grabbing remark from Nicksick contemplating Dana White reportedly provided Ngannou a contract that might make him the highest-paid heavyweight in UFC historical past.
It kinda felt prefer it was all concerning the cash, however now that Ngannou has cashed in on a fats PFL contract and a few high-profile boxing bouts, perhaps ‘The Predator’ isn’t as centered on cash now that he has a boatload of it.
