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

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

It’s been over three years since Ngannou last competed in the octagon and two years since he departed in free agency to join the PFL. Ngannou has fought one time during that span, defeating Renan Ferreira via knockout in October 2024, but otherwise has been mostly out of sight. Most recently, he was involved in a tragic incident in his native Cameroon, where he was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the death of a 17-year-old girl.

There’s no telling when or if the 38-year-old Ngannou will fight again, but his coach Eric Nicksick thinks one career option could be to return to the UFC somewhere down the road.

“I know that he’s been kind of asking for that [Deontay] Wilder fight, and if that’s something that comes up, great,” Nicksick told Home of Fight. “I just feel like the heavyweight division as a whole is kind of in shambles, and I think that if we can somehow, someway get this back together, there’s so many options for Francis. Not only in the UFC, but just around. I think that he can help bridge that gap that the UFC is lacking in its star power when it comes to the heavyweight division,

“I think enough time has passed. I would love to see somehow, someway that they can mend these fences and get back in competing in the UFC.”

Ngannou parted ways with the UFC under acrimonious circumstances and with a heavyweight title still around his waist. In his last fight for the promotion, he successfully defended his heavyweight title with a decision win over Ciryl Gane. What followed was a prolonged contract negotiation with UFC that ended in January 2023 when Ngannou was allowed to become an unrestricted free agent.

Though UFC CEO Dana White has publicly criticized Ngannou on several occasions, Nicksick is convinced the two can put aside their differences for the sake of business.

“100 percent,” Nicksick said. “I think this is more about business than it is about ego, at least it is from Francis’ side. He wants the opportunity to be paid for — It’s like being an independent contractor. You [want to be] paid the highest amount for whoever needs your services. He doesn’t want to be stuck in a position where he’s not allowed to go box or he’s not allowed to go do these things, but he went out and did these things and he competed and made a lot of money, proved that he could do it. So, now, where does his motivation come from?

“It’s not about money, it’s about competition, and the best competition is in the UFC.”

Ngannou’s six-year UFC run was filled with highlights, including some of the most vicious knockouts in MMA history 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 just be beneficial for “The Predator,” it would help to liven up a heavyweight division made stagnant by the inactivity of undisputed champion Jon Jones and the shelving of interim champion Tom Aspinall.

“I think Dana is a smart-enough businessman that it’s not about his ego, it’s about what’s best for his company, and I think that a guy like Dana is level-headed enough to say, like, ‘Look, the past is the past and we can get through those things if these things can work out for us in the future, why not?’” Nicksick said. “Why not explore those options?

“Look at the heavyweight division right now. What’s going on? You’ve got this poor guy in Tom Aspinall that’s been holding on to an interim belt for almost 600 days now. What are we doing here? I’m not saying Francis is the answer, but it at least adds some more value to your heavyweight division if you go out and get a guy like him and bring him back. Let bygones be bygones, everybody’s making money, everybody’s happy, but it gets things moving.”

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

“I’m hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested,” Jones wrote. “Now we’re talking. That’s a real superfight. A clash of champions, not just hype. He held the UFC belt, I’ve defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from different roads. Not just one legend facing a mouth that’s hot right now, but two real legacies colliding. That’s the kind of fight that actually adds something special to my story. At least from my point of view.”