UFC CEO Dana White dismissed the idea of Francis Ngannou returning to the UFC, despite speculation, as Ngannou remains under contract with PFL and has shown no public interest in coming back.
Tom Aspinall might need new opponents with Jon Jones retired, but don’t hold your breath for a matchup with Francis Ngannou. UFC CEO Dana White was asked about Ngannou possibly returning after Aspinall’s promotion to undisputed heavyweight champ.
Ngannou’s coach, Eric Nicksick, casually mentioned a return, but White quickly dismissed any interest in “The Predator.” “Francis doesn’t always mean what he says publicly,” White noted during the UFC Baku post-fight press conference.
White added, “I’d be shocked if Francis ever came back here on lots of different levels.” The split between Ngannou and the UFC was messy. After defending his title against Ciryl Gane, Ngannou faced a long recovery from knee surgery.
His contract ended with the Gane fight, and negotiations with the UFC hit a wall. Ngannou wanted crossover boxing matches, especially after a public spat with Tyson Fury. Control over his future was a major sticking point.
Eventually, Ngannou signed a lucrative multi-fight deal with PFL. He did get his boxing wish, but lost a close decision to Fury and suffered a knockout against Anthony Joshua. With Ngannou under PFL contract, a UFC return seems unlikely.
White isn’t offering any olive branches, focusing instead on the heavyweight division with Aspinall at the helm. Ngannou, meanwhile, responded to rumors on X with a simple question: “Did I say I’m ever coming back?”
And there you have it. The saga continues, but for now, it seems Ngannou’s UFC days are behind him.