UFC hasn’t sent a new offer – Francis Ngannou says contract situation still in limbo

The last time Francis Ngannou stepped inside the UFC Octagon was in January, when he successfully defended the undisputed heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane.…

By: Milan Ordoñez | 9 months ago
UFC hasn’t sent a new offer – Francis Ngannou says contract situation still in limbo
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

The last time Francis Ngannou stepped inside the UFC Octagon was in January, when he successfully defended the undisputed heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. At the time, “The Predator” revealed that his future with the organization was unclear.

“I’m not here to chase ghosts. I’m chasing what is real, what is possible. But at this point, I don’t know what is the stage of my situation with the UFC. So we’re gonna see how this plays out and see what is on the table. Then we can deal with what is on the table. As of now, I can’t allow myself to speculate about anything.”

The 36-year-old Ngannou had since undergone successful knee surgery and is currently “making great strides” in recovery, according to his coach Eric Nicksick. But as far as his contract situation goes, that remains up in the air.

“My contract status right now is still the same. I haven’t received any offer. It’s the same,” he told Jimmy Smith for MMA on SiriusXM.

“I hope, like, in the next two to three months, we get to deal with that. To solve that.”

Ngannou has been in a public feud with the UFC for a while now, and for him, the recent non-developments are no longer a surprise. At this point, there is no longer a sense of urgency.

“It’s not surprising to me. I think we’re not in a rush. I’m not in a rush, either. I’m not going anywhere, so I’m not rushing. At the end of the day, we have (a lot) of time,” said Ngannou, who previously revealed his intentions to return to action before the year ends.

In the same interview, Ngannou reiterated his plans for a possible clash against boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, which he once again said should be part of his new UFC deal.

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About the author
Milan Ordoñez
Milan Ordoñez

Milan Ordoñez has been covering combat sports since 2012 and has been part of the Bloody Elbow staff since 2016. He’s also competed in amateur mixed martial arts and submission grappling tournaments.

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