Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king Francis
Ngannou (17-3) may not return to full mixed martial arts
anytime soon.
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Ngannou parted ways with the UFC earlier this year after failed
contract negotiations. “The Predator” subsequently bagged a
lucrative deal with
Professional Fighters League that gave him equity in the
company, a seat on its athlete advisory board and made him chairman
of PFL Africa.
Ngannou also secured a boxing super fight against lineal
heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury,
which went down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28. To the
surprise of many around the world, the Cameroonian took the WBC
champ to a controversial split decision, even knocking down “The
Gypsy King” in Round 3.
PFL founder Donn Davis has now suggested that the Cameroonian is
unlikely to return to “pure” MMA in the immediate future simply due
to a lack of interesting opponents. Prior to his UFC exit, Ngannou
was expected to defend his heavyweight strap against Jon Jones, a
fight “The Predator” still hopes for.
Apart from the fact that they are in rival promotions now, the
fight is also unlikely to come to fruition soon with Jones being
out with a pectoral injury.
According to Davis, there are hardly any opponents interesting
enough for Ngannou, barring “Bones.”
“I think the opponents in pure MMA are not that interesting right
now. We’re just like the fans. We’re just like the fighters. We’re
not like the other companies, ‘Oh, let’s just do it because there
are guys.’ There’s only one name in MMA right now that’s
interesting for Francis Ngannou: Jon Jones. One guy,” Davis said on
“The MMA Hour.”
“Everybody says, ‘What about Stipe?’ Maybe. I give him half a
point. There’s 1.5 guys who are compelling. I don’t want to say who
can put on a good fight for him. There’s three or four other guys
who can put on a competitive fight for Francis. I’m not talking
about a competitive fight. I’m saying compelling, 1.5 guys in the
world, and one’s hurt for the next nine months and the other is
under contract. We’re realists.”
As per Davis, Ngannou has two lucrative options to choose from for
the time being. “The Predator” could secure a rematch with Fury
considering how close their first contest was, or the former UFC
champion could possibly take on former WBC heavyweight boxing ruler
Deontay
Wilder in a mixed-rules bout; a spectacle that both fighters
have expressed an interest in.
“I think it would be fantastic because he already proved against
Tyson Fury what he had to prove for now,” Davis said. “I think he
can get back to that, and as Francis Tweeted that night, ‘I’ll get
back to that at some point.’ So, I think he will get back to that.
But what do I think would be fascinating? Deontay Wilder in a mixed
rules fight.”