Francis Ngannou made it clear how he thought a ‘dream’ fight with UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar would play out.
Ngannou exited the UFC as heavyweight champion at the start of 2023, with a contractual dispute bringing his time in the Octagon to a sudden end.
Prior to talks breaking down, ‘The Predator’ had enjoyed one of the most brutal runs of all time en route to a strong heavyweight legacy. After four straight first-round knockouts, Ngannou viciously finished Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 to win the title.
But even before fans saw the dominance that guided Ngannou to the throne, the Cameroonian powerhouse was making bold claims about his standing in the weight class.
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Francis Ngannou told Brock Lesnar the heavyweight division ‘needed’ him to end retirement in 2018
In March 2018, Ngannou was coming off a disappointing five-round loss to Miocic in his first title shot.
While talk of a highly anticipated clash with fellow knockout artist Derrick Lewis was brewing — and ultimately led to their lackluster July bout that ‘The Black Beast’ won — Ngannou did briefly have his sights elsewhere.
During an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, ‘The Predator’ made a surprise plea for Brock Lesnar to return. The former UFC heavyweight king and WWE star had fought just once in the previous seven years at the time, having returned to face Mark Hunt at UFC 200.
“It’s up to what [the UFC] want to give me,” Ngannou said. “There are a lot of people out there who want to fight me. … By myself, I want Brock, Brock Lesnar.
“Please Brock, come back. Come back, my friend. We need you here,” Ngannou continued. “We need you to put the fun in this division. I need you to give me that f–king fight I’ve been waiting for for a long time, I’ve been dreaming for.”
‘The Beast Incarnate’ did make another UFC appearance months later. Lesnar and Daniel Cormier had a heated faceoff at UFC 226 after the former stormed the cage, but that didn’t lead to an Octagon comeback.
Francis Ngannou predicted a ‘very easy’ win over Brock Lesnar
That wasn’t the first time Ngannou had mentioned wanting to fight Lesnar in the UFC.
Just the previous year, during the lead-up to his first fight against Miocic, ‘The Predator’ had assessed how he’d fare in the cage against Lesnar during an appearance on the Top Turtle MMA Podcast.
Riding high on confidence following his brutal KO of Alistair Overeem — who was able to stop Lesnar via TKO in 2011 — Ngannou predicted he would have a comfortable night at the office.
“I’d always like to see the match between me and Brock Lesnar,” Ngannou said. “Two big dudes. I’m excited for that kind of match as a fan.
“I’m stronger than him. I’m the best striker in the heavyweight division and the more powerful guy. I’m also a talented guy and I will deal with that very easy.”
Like many bouts frequently discussed in MMA circles, Ngannou vs Lesnar remained in the realm of fantasy. With that, fans will likely never know the accuracy of the now-PFL star’s prediction.