Francis Ngannou & Dana White
Francis Ngannou Is Open for UFC Comeback Talks
The heavyweight division in the UFC is in limbo. With Jon Jones semi-retired, Tom Aspinall holding an interim title for over 500 days, and no major fights booked, there’s a glaring hole at the top of the division. But a familiar name might be ready to fill that void: Francis Ngannou.
After parting ways with the UFC in early 2023, Ngannou shocked the combat sports world by signing with PFL and pursuing a boxing career. He faced Tyson Fury in a massive crossover event and proved he could compete with the best in another sport—while securing financial freedom. But now, according to his coach Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture in an interview with Home of Fight, Ngannou could be open to returning to the UFC.
We spoke with Nicksick, who gave us an honest update on where Francis stands right now.
“He’s training, he looks happy to be back in the gym with the team,” Nicksick said. “He’s been asking for that Wilder fight—and if that happens, great—but right now the heavyweight division is kind of in shambles. There’s no real direction, and that creates an opportunity.”
Coach Nicksick & Francis Ngannou
According to Nicksick, Ngannou is open to negotiations with the UFC, and it’s more about business than bad blood.
“I think this is more about business than it is about ego. At least it is from Francis’s side,” Nicksick explained. “He just wants to be treated like an independent contractor—paid fairly and given the freedom to pursue other opportunities. And he did that. He went out, boxed, made a lot of money, and proved himself.”
Now that he’s done proving, it’s all about competition—and the best competition, Nicksick says, still resides in the UFC.
“Where does his motivation come from now? It’s not about money anymore. It’s about competition. And the best competition is in the UFC.”
Francis Ngannou & Dana White
As for whether UFC President Dana White would be open to burying the hatchet, Nicksick remains optimistic.
“Dana’s a smart businessman. I think he’s level-headed enough to say: the past is the past. Let’s explore the future. Look at the heavyweight division right now—what are we doing? Tom Aspinall is holding an interim belt for nearly 600 days. It’s time to get things moving.”
While there’s no deal in place yet, Nicksick made one thing clear: the Ngannou side is ready to talk. Whether the UFC picks up the phone may determine the next chapter in one of the most compelling stories in modern heavyweight MMA.
As fans continue to debate the state of the division, one thing is certain: bringing Francis Ngannou back into the fold would inject the UFC heavyweight scene with the star power and legitimacy it desperately needs.
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