As Tom Aspinall relentlessly and fruitlessly pursues Jon Jones, fans and pundits have discussed a heavyweight legend as a possible future opponent for the current interim champion. Francis Ngannou spectacularly exited the UFC in 2023 while still the heavyweight champion of the promotion. Now, his name is back doing the rounds.
Ngannou’s exit was highly controversial, with a number of reasons cited for his departure. His desire to pursue boxing was blocked by Dana White and the UFC.
The Cameroonian understandably took issue with this, since Conor McGregor had been allowed to do the same thing a few years earlier against Floyd Mayweather. Further disagreements over pay and contractual terms resulted in Ngannou leaving when his contract expired.
Since his UFC exit, Ngannou has won the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship. He has also contested two high-profile boxing matches against former world champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, losing both.
Despite the sour ending of White and Ngannou’s working relationship, Jon Jones believes that Ngannou still has a route back to the UFC if he wants it.
Can Ngannou find his way back to UFC?
While they couldn’t come to an agreement, the UFC’s contract offer to Ngannou was one of the most lucrative in the promotion’s history. Personal relationships aside, White recognizes that Ngannou is a huge draw and could welcome him back under the right circumstances.
But Jones has suggested that Ngannou will need to show remorse if he’s to make a return to the UFC. In terms of negotiations, Jones does not doubt that White can get Ngannou to sign on the dotted line.
“Dana gets things done. I think business speaks before emotions, and if Francis presents himself in a humble way, I think he would easily get back in the UFC,” revealed Jones via the Full Send Podcast.
But whether Ngannou remains the right fight for Jones at this exact moment is a whole other discussion. Fan outrage over the failure to book a Jones/Aspinall title fight continues.
If Ngannou rejoins and jumps ahead of Aspinall, it could lead to a full-scale revolt from the fans.
That people are discussing a shock return to the UFC speaks volumes about Ngannou’s legacy in the promotion.
Ngannou’s incredible UFC track record
The Cameroonian fighter’s devastating punching power earned him a huge following during his seven-year tenure in the UFC. His winning run in the UFC from 2018 to 2022, which saw him ascend to the top of the heavyweight division, was laden with incredible finishes.
Prior to beating Stipe Miocic for the title at UFC 260, Ngannou scored four consecutive first-round KOs. Three of them were before the minute mark! Incredibly, he finished half of his fourteen UFC wins in under two minutes!
While Ngannou’s UFC legacy is hugely impressive, the losses to Joshua and Fury have damaged his aura of invincibility. Still, Ngannou has probably earned more from those two boxing matches than he did in his entire UFC career.
But those extra zeroes on his bank balance will do nothing to reverse the damage to his legacy.
PFL as a promotion isn’t respected enough to boost Ngannou’s profile further. With his financial future secured, a UFC return represents a chance to cement himself as an MMA all-timer. A return would almost guarantee a title match with Jon Jones, and a win against the champion would be priceless for ‘The Predator’.
As for White’s Aspinall-shaped elephant in the room, a stunning Ngannou return and victory might just be enough to distract the disgruntled UFC fans for the time being. That is provided Aspinall gets his title shot — and soon.
